Aerosol stability of infectious and potentially infectious reovirus particles

The aerosol stability of two particle forms, infectious and potentially infectious, of reovirus were examined under static conditions for a range of relative humidities at 21 and 24 degrees C. Virus aerosolization efficiency was determined for two methods of dissemination: Collison nebulizer and Chicago atomizer. Suspensions of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores were added to reovirus preparations that included both particle forms and disseminated into a dynamic aerosol toroid to estimate the physical decay of the aerosols. At 90 to 100% relative humidity, both reovirus particle forms showed less than 10-fold loss of infectivity after 12 h of aging. At lower relative humidities the aerosol decay curve showed rapid initial decay followed by a markedly lower decay rate. Our findings reveal that reovirus particles are relatively stable in the airborne state.