title: Environmental factors affecting the transmission of respiratory viruses.
abstract: Many viruses are capable of infecting the human respiratory tract to cause disease. These viruses display various transmission patterns among humans; however, they all share the ability to transmit from person to person, and their human transmissibility is influenced by the environment in which pathogen and host meet. This review aims to summarize recent and significant observations regarding the impact of environmental factors such as weather and climate, humidity, temperature, and airflow on the transmission of human respiratory viruses. Where possible, knowledge gaps that require further scientific study will be identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pica
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Bouvier
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D013696:Temperature; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification