Human Extracellular Material May Prolong the Viability of Influenza Virus

In highly experimental conditions, changes in relative humidity did not affect the viability of influenza virus in aerosols or droplets if it was mixed with human extracellular material.

Influenza viruses spread from host to host either through droplet airborne transport or by fomite transmission. In either case, viruses must remain viable in the environment for transmission to occur. It has been presumed that relative humidity (RH) plays an important role in viral transmission, with higher humidity decreasing viral viability over time. However, in humans, aerosols and droplets contain extracellular material that may surround the virus and ameliorate this effect.

In the present study, investigators studied the viability of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus in medium supplemented with extracellular material (ECM) collected from the apical surface of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cell cultures. This served as a sourc…

Reviewing Author

Neil M. Ampel, MD

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Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Human Extracellular Material May Prolong the Viability of Influenza Virus

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Reviewing Author