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Modeling Dysplastic and Functional Lung Alveolar Repair after Influenza Infection
Published on: September 19, 2025
Ionizing air affects influenza virus infectivity and prevents airborne-transmission
Marie Hagbom1, Johan Nordgren1, Rolf Nybom2
1Division of Molecular Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Linköping, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden.
Abstract:
By the use of a modified ionizer device we describe effective prevention of airborne transmitted influenza A (strain Panama 99) virus infection between animals and inactivation of virus (>97%). Active ionizer prevented 100% (4/4) of guinea pigs from infection. Moreover, the device effectively captured airborne transmitted calicivirus, rotavirus and influenza virus, with recovery rates up to 21% after 40 min in a 19 m(3) room. The ionizer generates negative ions, rendering airborne particles/aerosol droplets negatively charged and electrostatically attracts them to a positively charged collector plate. Trapped viruses are then identified by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR. The device enables unique possibilities for rapid and simple removal of virus from air and offers possibilities to simultaneously identify and prevent airborne transmission of viruses.
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