Transmission Routes of Respiratory Viruses Among Humans

Overview

Journal Curr Opin Virol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2018 Feb 18

PMID 29452994

Citations 258

Authors

Jasmin S Kutter

Monique I Spronken

Pieter L Fraaij

Ron Am Fouchier

Sander Herfst

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections can be caused by a wide variety of viruses. Airborne transmission via droplets and aerosols enables some of these viruses to spread efficiently among humans, causing outbreaks that are difficult to control. Many outbreaks have been investigated retrospectively to study the possible routes of inter-human virus transmission. The results of these studies are often inconclusive and at the same time data from controlled experiments is sparse. Therefore, fundamental knowledge on transmission routes that could be used to improve intervention strategies is still missing. We here present an overview of the available data from experimental and observational studies on the transmission routes of respiratory viruses between humans, identify knowledge gaps, and discuss how the available knowledge is currently implemented in isolation guidelines in health care settings.

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