“Gesundheit!” Sneezing, Common Colds, Allergies, and Staphylococcus aureus Dispersion

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 194; no. 8; pp. 1119 - 1126
• Main Authors: Bischoff, Werner E., Wallis, Michelle L., Tucker, Brian K., Reboussin, Beth A., Pfaller, Michael A., Hayden, Frederick G., Sherertz, Robert J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.10.2006; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adult; Air Microbiology; Allergies; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier State - microbiology; Case-Control Studies; Common cold; Common Cold - microbiology; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Nasal Mucosa - microbiology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - microbiology; Rhinovirus; Sneezing; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - transmission; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Staphylococcus aureus - pathogenicity; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Viruses; Volunteerism; Infection; Immunopathology; Allergy; Nose disease; Microbiology; Viral disease; Bacteria; Micrococcales; ENT disease; Common cold; Micrococcaceae; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/507908

BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is among the most important pathogens in today’s hospital setting MethodsThe effects of sneezing on the airborne dispersal of S. aureus and other bacteria were assessed in 11 healthy nasal S. aureus carriers with experimentally induced rhinovirus colds. Airborne dispersal was studied by volumetric air sampling in 2 chamber sessions with and without histamine-induced sneezing. After 2 days of preexposure measurements, volunteers were inoculated with a rhinovirus and monitored for 14 days. Daily quantitative nasal- and skin-culture samples for bacteria and nasal-culture samples for rhinovirus were obtained, cold symptoms were assessed, and volunteer activities were recorded during sessions ResultsAll participants developed a cold. Sneezing caused a 4.7-fold increase in the airborne dispersal of S. aureus a 1.4-fold increase in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), and a 3.9-fold increase in other bacteria (P<.001). An additional 2.83 colony forming units (cfu) of S. aureus/m3/min, 3.24 cfu of CoNS/m3/min, and 474.61 cfu of other bacteria/m3/min were released per sneeze. Rhinovirus exposure did not change the frequency of sneezing or airborne dispersal. Having respiratory allergies increased the spread of S. aureus by 3.8-fold during sneezing sessions (P<.001) ConclusionNasal S. aureus carriers disperse a significant amount of S. aureus into the air by sneezing. Experimental colds do not alter bacterial dispersal, but respiratory allergies multiply the effect of dispersing S. aureus