Transmission of Influenza Virus Via Aerosols and Fomites in the Guinea Pig Model

Overview

Journal J Infect Dis

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2009 May 13

PMID 19434931

Citations 103

Authors

Samira Mubareka

Anice C Lowen

John Steel

Allan L Coates

Adolfo Garcia-Sastre

Peter Palese

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Limited data on the relative contributions of different routes of transmission for influenza virus are available. Person-to-person transmission is central to seasonal and pandemic spread; nevertheless, the modes of spread are a matter of ongoing debate. Resolution of this discussion is paramount to the development of effective control measures in health care and community settings. Using the guinea pig model, we demonstrated that transmission of influenza A/Panama/2007/1999 (H3N2) virus through the air is efficient, compared with spread through contaminated environmental surfaces (fomites). We also examined the aerosol transmission efficiencies of 2 human influenza virus A strains and found that A/Panama/2007/1999 influenza virus transmitted more efficiently than A/Texas/36/1991 (H1N1) virus in our model. The data provide new and much-needed insights into the modes of influenza virus spread and strain-specific differences in the efficiency of transmission.

Citing Articles

A single dose of inactivated influenza virus vaccine expressing COBRA hemagglutinin elicits broadly-reactive and long-lasting protection.

Shi H, Zhang X, Ross T PLoS One. 2025; 20(2):e0308680.

PMID: 39982912 PMC: 11844911. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308680.

Leveraging virucidal potential of an anti-microbial coating agent to mitigate fomite transmission of respiratory viruses.

Chanakya B, Karunakaran K, Dsa O, Sanghvi A, Mukhopadhyay C, Mudgal P Curr Res Microb Sci. 2024; 7:100261.

PMID: 39104780 PMC: 11299590. DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100261.

Quantitative measurement of influenza virus transmission in animal model: an overview of current state.

Onkhonova G, Gudymo A, Kosenko M, Marchenko V, Ryzhikov A Biophys Rev. 2023; 15(5):1359-1366.

PMID: 37975001 PMC: 10643727. DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01113-1.

Oral mucosa immunity: ultimate strategy to stop spreading of pandemic viruses.

Jang H, Matsuoka M, Freire M Front Immunol. 2023; 14:1220610.

PMID: 37928529 PMC: 10622784. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1220610.

Airborne transmission of common swine viruses.

Hu Z, Tian X, Lai R, Ji C, Li X Porcine Health Manag. 2023; 9(1):50.

PMID: 37908005 PMC: 10619269. DOI: 10.1186/s40813-023-00346-6.

References

Abad F, Pinto R, Bosch A . Survival of enteric viruses on environmental fomites. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994; 60(10):3704-10. PMC: 201876. DOI: 10.1128/aem.60.10.3704-3710.1994. View

Haldar J, An D, Alvarez de Cienfuegos L, Chen J, Klibanov A . Polymeric coatings that inactivate both influenza virus and pathogenic bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(47):17667-71. PMC: 1693804. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0608803103. View

Musher D . How contagious are common respiratory tract infections?. N Engl J Med. 2003; 348(13):1256-66. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra021771. View

Reuman P, Keely S, Schiff G . Assessment of signs of influenza illness in the ferret model. J Virol Methods. 1989; 24(1-2):27-34. DOI: 10.1016/0166-0934(89)90004-9. View

Edwards D, Man J, Brand P, Katstra J, Sommerer K, Stone H . Inhaling to mitigate exhaled bioaerosols. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004; 101(50):17383-8. PMC: 536048. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0408159101. View

Maines T, Chen L, Matsuoka Y, Chen H, Rowe T, Ortin J . Lack of transmission of H5N1 avian-human reassortant influenza viruses in a ferret model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(32):12121-6. PMC: 1567706. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0605134103. View

Thompson W, Shay D, Weintraub E, Brammer L, Bridges C, Cox N . Influenza-associated hospitalizations in the United States. JAMA. 2004; 292(11):1333-40. DOI: 10.1001/jama.292.11.1333. View

Boone S, Gerba C . The occurrence of influenza A virus on household and day care center fomites. J Infect. 2005; 51(2):103-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2004.09.011. View

Lai M, Cheng P, Lim W . Survival of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Clin Infect Dis. 2005; 41(7):e67-71. PMC: 7107832. DOI: 10.1086/433186. View

10.

Thompson W, Shay D, Weintraub E, Brammer L, Cox N, Anderson L . Mortality associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the United States. JAMA. 2003; 289(2):179-86. DOI: 10.1001/jama.289.2.179. View

11.

BLUMENFELD H, KILBOURNE E, Louria D, ROGERS D . Studies on influenza in the pandemic of 1957-1958. I. An epidemiologic, clinical and serologic investigation of an intrahospital epidemic, with a note on vaccination efficacy. J Clin Invest. 1959; 38(1 Part 2):199-212. PMC: 444126. DOI: 10.1172/JCI103789. View

12.

Tellier R . Review of aerosol transmission of influenza A virus. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007; 12(11):1657-62. PMC: 3372341. DOI: 10.3201/eid1211.060426. View

13.

Tumpey T, Maines T, Van Hoeven N, Glaser L, Solorzano A, Pappas C . A two-amino acid change in the hemagglutinin of the 1918 influenza virus abolishes transmission. Science. 2007; 315(5812):655-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.1136212. View

14.

Lowen A, Steel J, Mubareka S, Palese P . High temperature (30 degrees C) blocks aerosol but not contact transmission of influenza virus. J Virol. 2008; 82(11):5650-2. PMC: 2395183. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00325-08. View

15.

ALFORD R, KASEL J, Gerone P, Knight V . Human influenza resulting from aerosol inhalation. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1966; 122(3):800-4. DOI: 10.3181/00379727-122-31255. View

16.

Lowen A, Mubareka S, Tumpey T, Garcia-Sastre A, Palese P . The guinea pig as a transmission model for human influenza viruses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(26):9988-92. PMC: 1502566. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0604157103. View

17.

Yen H, Lipatov A, Ilyushina N, Govorkova E, Franks J, Yilmaz N . Inefficient transmission of H5N1 influenza viruses in a ferret contact model. J Virol. 2007; 81(13):6890-8. PMC: 1933302. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00170-07. View

18.

Brankston G, Gitterman L, Hirji Z, Lemieux C, Gardam M . Transmission of influenza A in human beings. Lancet Infect Dis. 2007; 7(4):257-65. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70029-4. View

19.

Moser M, Bender T, Margolis H, Noble G, Kendal A, RITTER D . An outbreak of influenza aboard a commercial airliner. Am J Epidemiol. 1979; 110(1):1-6. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112781. View

20.

Hall C . The nosocomial spread of respiratory syncytial viral infections. Annu Rev Med. 1983; 34:311-9. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.me.34.020183.001523. View