BACKGROUND: Environmental parameters, including sunlight levels, are known to affect the survival of many microorganisms in aerosols. However, the impact of sunlight on the survival of influenza virus in aerosols has not been previously quantified. METHODS: The present study examined the influence of simulated sunlight on the survival of influenza virus in aerosols at both 20% and 70% relative humidity using an environmentally controlled rotating drum aerosol chamber. RESULTS: Measured decay rates were dependent on the level of simulated sunlight, but they were not significantly different between the 2 relative humidity levels tested. In darkness, the average decay constant was 0.02 ± 0.06 min-1, equivalent to a half-life of 31.6 minutes. However, at full intensity simulated sunlight, the mean decay constant was 0.29 ± 0.09 min-1, equivalent to a half-life of approximately 2.4 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with epidemiological findings that sunlight levels are inversely correlated with influenza transmission, and they can be used to better understand the potential for the virus to spread under varied environmental conditions.
BACKGROUND: Environmental parameters, including sunlight levels, are known to affect the survival of many microorganisms in aerosols. However, the impact of sunlight on the survival of influenza virus in aerosols has not been previously quantified. METHODS: The present study examined the influence of simulated sunlight on the survival of influenza virus in aerosols at both 20% and 70% relative humidity using an environmentally controlled rotating drum aerosol chamber. RESULTS: Measured decay rates were dependent on the level of simulated sunlight, but they were not significantly different between the 2 relative humidity levels tested. In darkness, the average decay constant was 0.02 ± 0.06 min-1, equivalent to a half-life of 31.6 minutes. However, at full intensity simulated sunlight, the mean decay constant was 0.29 ± 0.09 min-1, equivalent to a half-life of approximately 2.4 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with epidemiological findings that sunlight levels are inversely correlated with influenza transmission, and they can be used to better understand the potential for the virus to spread under varied environmental conditions.
Authors: Michael Schuit; Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate; Jason Yolitz; Gregory Williams; Wade Weaver; Brian Green; David Miller; Melissa Krause; Katie Beck; Stewart Wood; Brian Holland; Jordan Bohannon; Denise Freeburger; Idris Hooper; Jennifer Biryukov; Louis A Altamura; Victoria Wahl; Michael Hevey; Paul Dabisch Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2020-07-23 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate; Gregory Williams; Brian Green; Melissa Krause; Brian Holland; Stewart Wood; Jordan Bohannon; Jeremy Boydston; Denise Freeburger; Idris Hooper; Katie Beck; John Yeager; Louis A Altamura; Jennifer Biryukov; Jason Yolitz; Michael Schuit; Victoria Wahl; Michael Hevey; Paul Dabisch Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2020-06-29 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Jennifer Biryukov; Jeremy A Boydston; Rebecca A Dunning; John J Yeager; Stewart Wood; Amy L Reese; Allison Ferris; David Miller; Wade Weaver; Nathalie E Zeitouni; Aaron Phillips; Denise Freeburger; Idris Hooper; Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate; Jason Yolitz; Melissa Krause; Gregory Williams; David G Dawson; Artemas Herzog; Paul Dabisch; Victoria Wahl; Michael C Hevey; Louis A Altamura Journal: mSphere Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 4.389
Authors: Fabrizio Nicastro; Giorgia Sironi; Elio Antonello; Andrea Bianco; Mara Biasin; John R Brucato; Ilaria Ermolli; Giovanni Pareschi; Marta Salvati; Paolo Tozzi; Daria Trabattoni; Mario Clerici Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-07-20 Impact factor: 4.379