How Humidity Affects Airborne Influenza A Viruses
Author Information
Author(s): Yang Wan, Linsey C. Marr, Ron A. M. Fouchier
Primary Institution: Virginia Tech
Hypothesis
Airborne concentrations of infectious influenza A viruses (IAVs) vary with humidity through its influence on virus inactivation rate and respiratory droplet size.
Conclusion
Higher humidity levels reduce the concentration of infectious IAVs in the air, which may help lower the risk of influenza transmission.
Supporting Evidence
- The predicted concentration of infectious IAVs in air is 2.4 times higher at 10% RH than at 90% RH after 10 minutes.
- Settling is important for removal of large droplets containing large amounts of IAVs.
- The inactivation rate increases linearly with RH; at the highest RH, inactivation can remove up to 28% of IAVs in 10 minutes.
Takeaway
When the air is more humid, the tiny droplets that carry the flu virus shrink less and fall to the ground faster, making it harder for the virus to spread.
Methodology
The study modeled the size distribution and dynamics of IAVs emitted from a cough in various humidity levels, analyzing factors like droplet size transformation and virus inactivation.
Limitations
The model is based on limited laboratory data and does not account for all factors affecting virus transmission in real-world settings.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0015
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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