2015/03/27 by Rachael M. Jones, Lisa M. Brosseau · 397 citations
Medicine · Dentistry · #Infection Control and Ventilation #Dental Research and COVID-19 #Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery #Aerosol #Transmission (telecommunications) #Ebola virus #Infectious disease (medical specialty) #Airborne transmission #Virology #Pathogen #Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) #Medicine #Virus #Disease #Immunology #Meteorology #Geography #Computer science #Pathology
paper · doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000000448
published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 57(5), 501-508 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)
openalex publication_date 2015/03/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
OBJECTIVE: The concept of aerosol transmission is developed to resolve limitations in conventional definitions of airborne and droplet transmission. METHODS: The method was literature review. RESULTS: An infectious aerosol is a collection of pathogen-laden particles in air. Aerosol particles may deposit onto or be inhaled by a susceptible person. Aerosol transmission is biologically plausible when infectious aerosols are generated by or from an infectious person, the pathogen remains viable in the environment for some period of time, and the target tissues in which the pathogen initiates infection are accessible to the aerosol. Biological plausibility of aerosol transmission is evaluated for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and norovirus and discussed for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, influenza, and Ebola virus. CONCLUSIONS: Aerosol transmission reflects a modern understanding of aerosol science and allows physically appropriate explanation and intervention selection for infectious diseases.