Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks
Date
2020-04-03Author
Leung, Nancy H. L.
Chu, Daniel K. W.
Shiu, Eunice Y. C.
Chan, Kwok-Hung
McDevitt, James J.
Hau, Benien J. P.
Yen, Hui-Ling
Li, Yuguo
Ip, Dennis K. M.
Peiris, J. S. Malik
Seto, Wing-Hong
Leung, Gabriel M.
Milton, Donald K.
Cowling, Benjamin J.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
[Abstract]. We identified seasonal human coronaviruses, influenza viruses and rhinoviruses in exhaled breath and coughs of children and adults with acute respiratory illness. Surgical face masks significantly reduced detection of influenza virus RNA in respiratory droplets and coronavirus RNA in aerosols, with a trend toward reduced detection of coronavirus RNA in respiratory droplets. Our results indicate that surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses and influenza viruses from symptomatic individuals.