Aerobiology and Its Role in the Transmission of Infectious Diseases

Aerobiology plays a fundamental role in the transmission of infectious diseases. As infectious disease and infection control practitioners continue employing contemporary techniques (e.g., computational fluid dynamics to study particle flow, polymerase chain reaction methodologies to quantify particle concentrations in various settings, and epidemiology to track the spread of disease), the central variables affecting the airborne transmission of pathogens are becoming better known. This paper reviews many of these aerobiological variables (e.g., particle size, particle type, the duration that particles can remain airborne, the distance that particles can travel, and meteorological and environmental factors), as well as the common origins of these infectious particles. We then review several real-world settings with known difficulties controlling the airborne transmission of infectious particles (e.g., office buildings, healthcare facilities, and commercial airplanes), while detailing the respective measures each of these industries is undertaking in its effort to ameliorate the transmission of airborne infectious diseases.

• Publication year

  2013

• Venue

  Journal of Pathogens

• Publication date

  2013-01-13

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1155/2013/493960PMID 23365758PMCID 3556854
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Deposition of Aerosol in the Respiratory Tract1–3

  2015cited by this paper
• Aerosol Deposition in Health and Disease

  2012cited by this paper
• Size-resolved emission rates of airborne bacteria and fungi in an occupied classroom

  2012cited by this paper
• Discriminating Active from Latent Tuberculosis in Patients Presenting to Community Clinics

  2012cited by this paper
• Role of air changes per hour (ACH) in possible transmission of airborne infections

  2011cited by this paper
• Transmission of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis and the critical importance of airborne infection control in the era of HIV infection and highly active antiretroviral therapy rollouts.

  2010influential reference
• The role of particle size in aerosolised pathogen transmission: A review

  2010cited by this paper
• Measurement of airborne influenza virus in a hospital emergency department.

  2009cited by this paper
• The effect of environmental parameters on the survival of airborne infectious agents

  2009cited by this paper
• Plan to combat extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis; recommendations of the Federal Tuberculosis Task Force

  2009cited by this paper
• Clearing the Air: Livestock's Contribution to Climate Change

  2009cited by this paper
• Plan to combat extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis: recommendations of the Federal Tuberculosis Task Force.

  2009cited by this paper
• Dynamics of clinical symptoms in patients with pandemic influenza A (H1N1).

  2009cited by this paper
• Upper-Room Ultraviolet Light and Negative Air Ionization to Prevent Tuberculosis Transmission

  2009cited by this paper
• Pneumonia hospitalizations among young children before and after introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine--United States, 1997-2006.

  2009cited by this paper
• Prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis among infants and children: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

  2009cited by this paper
• Aerosol transmission of influenza A virus: a review of new studies

  2009cited by this paper
• Air travel and health

  2008cited by this paper
• The Infectiousness of Tuberculosis Patients Coinfected with HIV

  2008cited by this paper
• Safety of Upper-Room Ultraviolet Germicidal Air Disinfection for Room Occupants: Results from the Tuberculosis Ultraviolet Shelter Study

  2008cited by this paper
• Direct and indirect drift assessment means. Part 3: field drift experiments.

  2008cited by this paper
• The detection of airborne transmission of tuberculosis from HIV-infected patients, using an in vivo air sampling model.

  2007cited by this paper
• Natural Ventilation for the Prevention of Airborne Contagion

  2007cited by this paper
• Transmission of influenza A in human beings.

  2007cited by this paper
• Transmission of influenza A in human beings

  2007cited by this paper
• Influenza Virus Transmission Is Dependent on Relative Humidity and Temperature

  2007cited by this paper
• How far droplets can move in indoor environments--revisiting the Wells evaporation-falling curve.

  2007cited by this paper
• Microorganisms in bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plants during summer at a Mediterranean site.

  2007cited by this paper
• Natural Ventilation for Prevention of Airborne Contagion: Authors' Reply

  2007cited by this paper
• 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Health Care Settings

  2007cited by this paper
• Influenza outbreak related to air travel.

  2007cited by this paper
• AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEATING, REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING ENGINEERS INC.

  2007cited by this paper
• Infection prevention and control of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory diseases in health care.: WHO Interim Guidelines

  2007cited by this paper
• Airborne infectious disease and the suppression of pulmonary bioaerosols

  2006cited by this paper
• Nosocomial aspergillosis in outbreak settings.

  2006cited by this paper
• 2,500-year Evolution of the Term Epidemic

  2006cited by this paper
• Improving Performance of HVAC Systems to Reduce Exposure to Aerosolized Infectious Agents in Buildings; Recommendations to Reduce Risks Posed by Biological Attacks

  2006cited by this paper
• Nanotoxicology: An Emerging Discipline Evolving from Studies of Ultrafine Particles

  2005cited by this paper
• Toward Understanding the Risk of Secondary Airborne Infection: Emission of Respirable Pathogens

  2005cited by this paper
• Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health-care settings, 2005.

  2005cited by this paper
• Health disparities experienced by black or African Americans--United States.

  2005cited by this paper
• Study of SARS Transmission Via Liquid Droplets in Air

  2005cited by this paper
• Estimation of Tuberculosis Risk on a Commercial Airliner

  2004cited by this paper
• Multistate investigation of measles among adoptees from China--April 9, 2004.

  2004cited by this paper
• Indoor particle dynamics.

  2004cited by this paper
• In-flight transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): A Case Report

  2003cited by this paper
• Rhabdomyolysis secondary to interaction of fusidic acid and simvastatin

  2003cited by this paper
• How contagious are common respiratory tract infections?

  2003cited by this paper
• Adverse Human Health Effects Associated with Molds in the Indoor Environment

  2003cited by this paper
• Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome on aircraft.

  2003cited by this paper
• Effectiveness of precautions against droplets and contact in prevention of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

  2003cited by this paper
• Illness in Intensive Care Staff after Brief Exposure to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

  2003cited by this paper
• Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

  2003cited by this paper
• SARS: Global Epidemiology and Control

  2003cited by this paper
• Outbreak of influenza-like illness [corrected] related to air travel.

  2003cited by this paper
• Transmission of influenza: implications for control in health care settings.

  2003cited by this paper
• Investigation of a nosocomial outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Toronto, Canada.

  2003cited by this paper
• Comparison of Operating Room Ventilation Systems in the Protection of the Surgical Site

  2002cited by this paper
• Aircraft cabin air recirculation and symptoms of the common cold.

  2002cited by this paper
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers Guideline 12-2000: Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems

  2002cited by this paper
• Indoor particulate matter of outdoor origin: importance of size-dependent removal mechanisms.

  2002cited by this paper
• Responding to medical events during commercial airline flights.

  2002cited by this paper
• Illness after international travel.

  2002cited by this paper
• Exposure to patients with meningococcal disease on aircrafts--United States, 1999-2001.

  2001cited by this paper
• Modeling pollutant penetration across building envelopes

  2001cited by this paper
• An outbreak of influenza a caused by imported virus in the United States, July 1999.

  2001cited by this paper
• Mixed outbreak of parainfluenza type 1 and influenza B associated with tourism and air travel.

  2001cited by this paper
• Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

  2000cited by this paper
• Spread of Staphylococcus aureus in Hospitals: Causes and Prevention

  2000cited by this paper
• Surveillance of influenza viruses isolated from travellers at Nagoya International Airport

  2000cited by this paper
• Evidence for airborne transmission of Norwalk-like virus (NLV) in a hotel restaurant

  2000cited by this paper
• Clinical signs and symptoms predicting influenza infection.

  2000cited by this paper
• Hospital Ventilation and Risk for Tuberculous Infection in Canadian Health Care Workers

  2000cited by this paper
• Aeromedical evacuation of biological warfare casualties: a treatise on infectious diseases on aircraft.

  2000cited by this paper
• Two-step tuberculin testing of passengers and crew on a commercial airplane.

  2000cited by this paper
• Identification of Factors That Disrupt Negative Air Pressurization of Respiratory Isolation Rooms

  2000cited by this paper
• Tactical management of urban warfare casualties in special operations.

  2000cited by this paper
• Nosocomial Meningococcemia in a Physician

  1999cited by this paper
• Characterization of infectious aerosols in health care facilities: An aid to effective engineering controls and preventive strategies

  1998influential reference
• Tuberculosis and air travel : guidelines for prevention and control

  1998cited by this paper
• Infection Control Manual

  1997cited by this paper
• Control of Communicable Diseases Manual

  1997cited by this paper
• Transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis during a long airplane flight.

  1996cited by this paper
• Guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals. The Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee.

  1996cited by this paper
• Exposure of passengers and flight crew to Mycobacterium tuberculosis on commercial aircraft, 1992-1995.

  1995cited by this paper
• Some factors affecting the airborne survival of bacteria outdoors.

  1995cited by this paper
• Molecular Heterogeneity of Acinetobacter baumanii Isolates During Seasonal Increase in Prevalence

  1995cited by this paper
• Invited commentary on "Aerial dissemination of pulmonary tuberculosis. A two-year study of contagion in a tuberculosis ward".

  1995cited by this paper
• Deposition, resuspension, and penetration of particles within a residence

  1995cited by this paper
• Hospital sepsis control and TB transmission

  1995cited by this paper
• Transmission of a small round structured virus by vomiting during a hospital outbreak of gastroenteritis.

  1994cited by this paper
• Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis associated with air travel.

  1994cited by this paper
• Airborne Nosocomial Infection: A Contemporary Perspective

  1994cited by this paper
• Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health-care facilities, 1994. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  1994cited by this paper
• Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health-care facilities, 1994--CDC. Notice of final revisions to the "Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in health-care facilities, 1994".

  1994cited by this paper
• Influence of temperature and relative humidity on the survival of Chlamydia pneumoniae in aerosols

  1993cited by this paper
• Some factors affecting airborne survival of Pseudomonas fluorescens indoors.

  1993cited by this paper
• Evaluation of Rooms with Negative Pressure Ventilation Used for Respiratory Isolation in Seven Midwestern Hospitals

  1993cited by this paper
• Exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis during air travel.

  1993cited by this paper
• Transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis among persons with human immunodeficiency virus infection in an urban hospital: epidemiologic and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

  1993cited by this paper

• Integrated Assessment of Ventilation Strategies for Exposure and Comfort in a Multi-Bed Negative-Pressure Isolation Room

  2026cites this paper
• Microbial Contamination Risks From Adjacent and Nearby Land: Evidence and Implications for Produce Safety

  2026cites this paper
• Comprehensive indoor fungal human health risk index - a slum based study

  2026cites this paper
• Airborne bacterial profiling and air disinfection efficacy in small animal hospitals in South Korea

  2025cites this paper
• Assessing airborne infection risk through a model of airflow evacuation and recirculation dynamics

  2025cites this paper
• Role of Genomic, Economic, and Demographic Disparities in Mpox Epidemic in Africa: A Retrospective Cross-Country Analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Short-term effects of air pollution on the infectious disease spectrum in Shanghai, China: a time-series analysis from 2013 to 2019

  2025influential citation
• Computational Modelling on Virus Spread among People in Group

  2025cites this paper
• Effect of Plasma Air Purifiers on Infection Rates in Orthopedic Surgery.

  2025cites this paper
• Estimating Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission in a South African clinic: Spatiotemporal model based on person movements

  2025cites this paper
• Impact of Particle Size and Concentration on E. coli Viability in Porous Residues Formed During Droplet Evaporation

  2025cites this paper
• Optimising Air Change Rates: A CFD Study on Mitigating Pathogen Transmission in Aircraft Cabins

  2025cites this paper
• Experimental system enables studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during aerogenic transmission

  2025cites this paper
• Ventilation and Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities: A Post-COVID-19 Literature Synthesis

  2025cites this paper
• Aerobiology, post COVID-19, within the emerging Industrial Revolution 5.0 and Society 5.0

  2025cites this paper
• Air circulation effects on airborne particles aboard cruise ships

  2025cites this paper
• Air Quality and Hospital-Acquired Infections: A Case Study of Ventilation and Bioaerosols in an Educational Hospital

  2025cites this paper
• Tannic acid-assisted green functionalization of Clinoptilolite: a step-by-step characterization of silver nanoparticles in situ reduction

  2025cites this paper
• Evaluation of the decontamination efficacy of a portable air cleaner using 275-nm UVC-LED radiation against airborne Coronavirus and Influenza virus

  2025cites this paper
• Aerosol Dynamics in the Respiratory Tract of Food-Producing Animals: An Insight into Transmission Patterns and Deposition Distribution

  2025cites this paper
• Airborne Dental Material Particulates and Occupational Exposure: Computational and Field Insights into Airflow Dynamics and Control Strategies

  2025cites this paper
• Next-generation air filtration nanotechnology for improved indoor air quality.

  2024cites this paper
• Evaluating the impact of human movement-induced airflow on particle dispersion: A novel real-time validation using IoT technology

  2024cites this paper
• Lessons from the coronavirus pandemic: a review of how the disease spreads in indoor spaces

  2024cites this paper
• Disease outbreak prediction using natural language processing: a review

  2024cites this paper
• Macrobial airborne environmental DNA analysis: A review of progress, challenges, and recommendations for an emerging application

  2024cites this paper
• Fungal spore air pollution in selected environments in Nairobi, Kenya

  2024cites this paper
• AIR POLLUTION ENGINEERING FOR ACCIDENTS WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

  2024cites this paper
• A review of pathogenic airborne fungi and bacteria: unveiling occurrence, sources, and profound human health implication

  2024influential citation
• Isolating pollen signals from laser diode aerosol Optical Particle Counter (OPC) data through positive matrix factorization (PMF) and Unmix receptor models.

  2024cites this paper
• Effects of coronavirus disease 2019 on the spread of respiratory-transmitted human-to-human bacteria.

  2024cites this paper
• Extreme events in pollen concentration in Poznań, Poland: seasonality, trends and health impact

  2024cites this paper
• Unveiling the impact of textile materials to prevent viral infections: urgency for awareness and public safety†

  2024cites this paper
• Antifibrotic Drugs against Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis Induced by COVID-19: Therapeutic Approaches and Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers

  2024cites this paper
• Impact of ventilation efficiency on restraining hazardous toilet plume post-flushing in indoor environments

  2024cites this paper
• Contribution of Particulates to Airborne Disease Transmission and Severity: A Review.

  2024cites this paper
• Unveiling the Role of Bioaerosols in Climate Processes: A Mini Review

  2024cites this paper
• Efficacy of an experimental gaseous ozone-based sterilization method for clear aligners.

  2024cites this paper
• An Analysis of Air Conditioning System Operation Patterns on Droplet Particle Distribution in a Classroom-A CFD Approach

  2024cites this paper
• The microphysics of surrogates of exhaled aerosols from the upper respiratory tract

  2024cites this paper
• Mycological Methods for Routine Air Sampling and Interpretation of Results in Operating Theaters

  2024influential citation
• Aerosol particle dispersion in spontaneous breathing training of oxygen delivery tracheostomized patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation.

  2024cites this paper
• Does time of intraoperative exposure to the aerobiome increase microbial growth on inflatable penile prostheses?

  2024cites this paper
• Droplet Digital RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Honey Bees and Honey Collected in Apiaries across the Campania Region

  2024cites this paper
• Research on the site selection of emergency medical facilities from the perspective of country parks

  2023cites this paper
• SARS-CoV-2 genome incidence on the inanimate surface of the material used in the flow of biological samples from the collection point to the testing unit

  2023cites this paper
• Chitosan-based pulmonary particulate systems for anti-cancer and antiviral drug carriers: A promising delivery for COVID-19 vaccines

  2023cites this paper
• How to identify pollen like a palynologist: A prior knowledge-guided deep feature learning for real-world pollen classification

  2023cites this paper
• Weakly Supervised Collaborative Learning for Airborne Pollen Segmentation and Classification from SEM Images

  2023cites this paper
• Impacts of weather and air pollution on Legionnaires' disease in Switzerland: A national case-crossover study.

  2023cites this paper
• Exposure Assessment of Infectious Virus Particles in a Classroom Setting Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Model

  2023cites this paper
• Stability of Feline Coronavirus in aerosols and dried in organic matrices on surfaces at various environmental conditions

  2023cites this paper
• Self-cleaning multifunctional air-filtration devices

  2023cites this paper
• Distribution patterns of airborne bacteria and fungi in a teaching, public and private hospital in southwestern Nigeria

  2023cites this paper
• Enumeration of Aeromycoflora Diversity in the Central Library of Kalinga University

  2023cites this paper
• Enrichment of human nasopharyngeal bacteriome with bacteria from dust after short-term exposure to indoor environment: a pilot study

  2023cites this paper
• The relationship between ventilation rates in schools and the indoor airborne transmission potential of COVID-19

  2023cites this paper
• Enhancing Indoor Air Quality and Regulatory Compliance: An In-Depth Comparative Study on Ventilation Strategies and Their Impact on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Risk

  2023cites this paper
• Implementation Status of Airborne Infection Control Measures in Primary and Secondary Public Health Facilities, Puducherry: A Mixed-Methods Study

  2023cites this paper
• Airborne microbiomes at a subtropical island in southern China: Importance of the northwest and southeast monsoons

  2023cites this paper
• Facility design and worker justice: COVID-19 transmission in meatpacking plants.

  2023cites this paper
• Comparison of aerosol generation between electrocautery and cold dissection tonsillectomy

  2023cites this paper
• Dispersion of droplets due to the use of air purifiers during summer: Focus on the spread of COVID-19

  2023cites this paper
• Assessment of Mobile Air Cleaners to Reduce the Concentration of Infectious Aerosol Particles Indoors

  2023cites this paper
• Safe use of PHI6 IN the experimental studies

  2023cites this paper
• Synthesis of TiO2-Cu2+/CuI Nanocomposites and Evaluation of Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity

  2023cites this paper
• Effects of micropores, emulsion properties and coating thickness on the antiviral activity of architectural coatings

  2023cites this paper
• A Method for Monitoring the Effective Air Change Rate for Respiratory Aerosols Using Real-Time Tracers

  2023cites this paper
• Operation of air conditioners affects the microbial pathogenic potential in bedrooms: A metagenomics and culture-dependent study

  2023cites this paper
• Multifunctional, self-cleaning air filters based on graphene-enhanced ceramic networks

  2023cites this paper
• Viral Families and Disease X: A Framework for U.S. Pandemic Preparedness Policy

  2023cites this paper
• Effects of ambient temperature and humidity on viruses activity on different architectural coatings and kinetics study

  2023cites this paper
• Analysis of Airborne Fungal Communities on Pedestrian Bridges in Urban Environments

  2023cites this paper
• Technological interventions, material recognition and policy checks for dwelling spaces amid COVID-19 pandemic

  2023cites this paper
• Attention to Contour: A Contour-Guided Deep Network for Pollen Classification

  2022cites this paper
• Airborne transmission of biological agents within the indoor built environment: a multidisciplinary review

  2022cites this paper
• Reproductive and respiratory syndrome of pigs in pig breeding enterprises (review)

  2022cites this paper
• Distribution characteristics and potential risks of bacterial aerosol in waste transfer station.

  2022cites this paper
• Microscopic model on indoor propagation of respiratory droplets

  2022cites this paper
• VEBA: a modular end-to-end suite for in silico recovery, clustering, and analysis of prokaryotic, microeukaryotic, and viral genomes from metagenomes

  2022cites this paper
• Aerosol concentrations and size distributions during clinical dental procedures

  2022influential citation
• Impacts of weather and air pollution on Legionnaires' disease in Switzerland: a national case-crossover study

  2022cites this paper
• Aerosol Survival, Disinfection and Formalin Inactivation of Nipah Virus

  2022cites this paper
• Ozone Disinfection Efficiency Against Airborne Microorganisms in Hospital Environment: A Case Study

  2022cites this paper
• Estabilidad de coronavirus y virus herpes simplex tipo 1 en barbijos y batas quirúrgicas que componen el EPP

  2022cites this paper
• Personal exposure to exhaled contaminants in the near environment of a patient using a personalized exhaust system

  2022cites this paper
• Role of ventilation on the transmission of viruses in buildings, from a single zone to a multizone approach

  2022cites this paper
• SARS-CoV-2 Transmission by Arthropod Vectors: A Scoping Review

  2022cites this paper
• Microbial contamination, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation of bacteria isolated from a high-throughput pig abattoir

  2022cites this paper
• Bacterial Contamination Level of Indoor Air and Surface of Equipment in the Operation Room in Dil-Chora Referral Hospital, Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

  2022influential citation
• The face behind the Covid-19 mask — A comprehensive review

  2022cites this paper
• Accumulation and diversity of airborne, eukaryotic environmental DNA

  2022cites this paper
• Adapting an Atmospheric Dispersion Model to Assess the Risk of Windborne Transmission of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus between Swine Farms

  2022cites this paper
• “Simulation of medical goggles to stop airborne transmission of viruses: computational fluid dynamics in ergonomics”

  2022cites this paper
• Knowledge, attitude, and practice about air-borne infection control guidelines: A cross-sectional study among residents doctors of tertiary care hospital in central India

  2022cites this paper
• Impact of ventilation and avoidance measures on SARS-CoV-2 risk of infection in public indoor environments

  2022cites this paper
• Effect of radiant catalytic ionization on environmental conditions in rodent rooms and the haematological status of mice

  2022cites this paper
• Impact of seasonal variations on microbiome diversity and antibiotic resistance in aerosolized bacteria in a dairy facility

  2022cites this paper
• Performance Comparison among KN95-Certified Face Masks by Classical Techniques and Innovative Test

  2022cites this paper
• Transmission of COVID-19: a brief review of droplet and aerosol transmission routes

  2022cites this paper