Drivers of airborne human-to-human pathogen transmission

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Airborne pathogens, including viruses (e.g., variola, measles, influenza) and bacteria (e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis), pose significant infectious disease threats.
• Emerging zoonotic pathogens with pandemic potential (e.g., MERS coronavirus, avian influenza) highlight the need to understand human-to-human transmission dynamics.
• Existing knowledge gaps in understanding transmission mechanisms hinder effective emergency preparedness for airborne infectious agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize knowledge on aerosolized transmissibility mechanisms of airborne pathogens.
• To identify critical knowledge gaps limiting current emergency preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks.
• To propose a novel framework for understanding drivers of human-to-human transmission via airborne routes.

Main Methods:

• Cross-disciplinary synthesis of insights from microbiological, medical, social, and economic sciences.
• Development of a conceptual framework modeling airborne transmission pathways.
• Analysis of known airborne pathogens and potential pandemic threats.

Main Results:

• Identified key mechanisms of aerosol and droplet transmission for various pathogens.
• Highlighted specific knowledge gaps in understanding pathogen transmissibility and environmental factors.
• Proposed a framework emphasizing the airspace as an intermediate transmission stage.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of airborne pathogen transmission is crucial for global health security.
• The proposed framework offers a structured approach to identify and assess risks associated with novel airborne pathogens.
• Enhanced preparedness strategies can be developed by addressing identified knowledge gaps and utilizing the transmission framework.