Aerosol measurement identifies SARS-CoV 2 PCR positive adults compared with healthy controls

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 216; no. Pt 1; p. 114417
• Main Authors: Gutmann, Desireé, Scheuch, Gerhard, Lehmkühler, Timon, Herrlich, Laura-Sabine, Landeis, Anton, Hutter, Martin, Stephan, Christoph, Vehreschild, Maria, Khodamoradi, Yascha, Gossmann, Ann-Kathrin, King, Florian, Weis, Frederik, Weiss, Maximilian, Rabenau, Holger F., Graf, Juergen, Donath, Helena, Schubert, Ralf, Zielen, Stefan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.01.2023; Published by Elsevier Inc
• Subjects: Acute respiratory tract infection; Adult; Aerosols; body mass index; cohort studies; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; Germany; hospitals; Humans; lungs; PCR; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prospective Studies; Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; shear stress; Super spreader; Germany; COVID-19; Super spreader; Aerosols; Acute respiratory tract infection; PCR

SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily through droplets and aerosols. Exhaled aerosols are generated in the upper airways through shear stress and in the lung periphery by ‘reopening of collapsed airways’. Aerosol measuring may detect highly contagious individuals (“super spreaders or super-emitters”) and d...