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Predicting 'airborne' influenza viruses: (trans-) mission impossible?
E M Sorrell1, E J A Schrauwen, M Linster
1National Influenza Center and Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Current Opinion in Virology
|March 24, 2012
Summary
Identifying airborne influenza viruses is crucial for pandemic prediction. Key factors include efficient attachment, replication in respiratory tissues, and particle aerosolization for human transmission.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Influenza viruses frequently transmit from animals to humans.
- Understanding transmission dynamics is vital for pandemic preparedness.
- Identifying pandemic potential among zoonotic influenza viruses is a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the minimal requirements for efficient airborne transmission of animal influenza viruses between humans.
- To establish criteria for identifying high-risk influenza virus isolates from animal surveillance.
Main Methods:
- Review of knowledge from pandemic, zoonotic, and epidemic influenza viruses.
- Postulation of key viral, host, and environmental factors for airborne transmission.
Main Results:
- Efficient transmission requires effective virus attachment to upper respiratory tissues.
- High-titer replication within these tissues is necessary.
- Release and aerosolization of single virus particles are critical.
Conclusions:
- These three factors (attachment, replication, aerosolization) represent minimal requirements for airborne influenza transmission.
- Investigating airborne transmission is essential for understanding and predicting influenza pandemics.
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