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

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...

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Published in:Environmental research 2023-01, Vol.216 (Pt 1), p.114417, Article 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: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute respiratory tract infection
Adult
Aerosols
COVID-19
COVID-19 - diagnosis
Humans
PCR
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prospective Studies
Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets
SARS-CoV-2
Super spreader
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Summary: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 discriminate between SARS-CoV-2 infected and non-infected individuals. This is the first study comparing exhaled aerosols in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and healthy controls. A prospective observational cohort study in 288 adults, comprising 64 patients testing positive by SARS CoV-2 PCR before enrollment, and 224 healthy adults testing negative (matched control sample) at the University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, from February to June 2021. Study objective was to evaluate the concentration of exhaled aerosols during physiologic breathing in SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive and -negative subjects. Secondary outcome measures included correlation of aerosol concentration to SARS-CoV-2 PCR results, change in aerosol concentration due to confounders, and correlation between clinical symptoms and aerosol. There was a highly significant difference in respiratory aerosol concentrations between SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive (median 1490.5/L) and -negative subjects (median 252.0/L; p 
ISSN:0013-9351
1096-0953
1096-0953
DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2022.114417