Open AccessTransmission of Respiratory Viral Diseases to Health Care Workers: COVID-19 as an Example
Author(s) -
Amanda M. Wilson,
Darrah K. Sleeth,
Camie Schaefer,
Rachael M. Jones
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
annual review of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.239
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1545-2093
pISSN - 0163-7525
DOI - 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052120-110009
Subject(s) - transmission (telecommunications) , covid-19 , respiratory system , coronavirus , medicine , infection control , virology , intensive care medicine , environmental health , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology , computer science , telecommunications
Health care workers (HCWs) can acquire infectious diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), from patients. Herein, COVID-19 is used with the source–pathway–receptor framework as an example to assess evidence for the roles of aerosol transmission and indirect contact transmission in viral respiratory infectious diseases. Evidence for both routes is strong for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, but aerosol transmission is likely dominant for COVID-19. Key knowledge gaps about transmission processes and control strategies include the distribution of viable virus among respiratory aerosols of different sizes, the mechanisms and efficiency by which virus deposited on the facial mucous membrane moves to infection sites inside the body, and the performance of source controls such as face coverings and aerosol containment devices. To ensure that HCWs are adequately protected from infection, guidelines and regulations must be updated to reflect the evidence that respiratory viruses are transmitted via aerosols.