Respiratory pathogen transmission routes

AEROSOL

 • Solid or liquid particles suspended in air or a gas that can remain aloft for a long time

 • 10μm particles can travel many meters

 • >100 μm can be inhaled into the nose

 • Think of aerosol movement as you would cigarette smoke movement

DROPLET > 100μm - evaporate faster than they settle

Aerosol Transmissible Pathogens:

 • Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis; only transmits via respirable aerosols)

 • smallpox

 • measles virus (measles)

 • influenza virus (flu)

 • rhinovirus (common cold)

 • MERS-coronavirus (MERS)

 • SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

 • SARS-Cov (SARS)

 • varicella-zoster virus (chicken pox)



- Ian Mackay, PhD @MackayIM



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