CNC - Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC - Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
FMUC - Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Med Hypotheses. 2020 Aug;141:109781. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109781. Epub 2020 Apr 25.
The world is facing a pandemic of unseen proportions caused by a corona virus named SARS-CoV-2 with unprecedent worldwide measures being taken to tackle its contagion. Person-to-person transmission is accepted but WHO only considers aerosol transmission when procedures or support treatments that produce aerosol are performed. Transmission mechanisms are not fully understood and there is evidence for an airborne route to be considered, as the virus remains viable in aerosols for at least 3 h and that mask usage was the best intervention to prevent infection. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC) are used as a primary infection disease control measure. However, if not correctly used, they may contribute to the transmission/spreading of airborne diseases as proposed in the past for SARS. The authors believe that airborne transmission is possible and that HVAC systems when not adequately used may contribute to the transmission of the virus, as suggested by descriptions from Japan, Germany, and the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. Previous SARS outbreaks reported at Amoy Gardens, Emergency Rooms and Hotels, also suggested an airborne transmission. Further studies are warranted to confirm our hypotheses but the assumption of such way of transmission would cause a major shift in measures recommended to prevent infection such as the disseminated use of masks and structural changes to hospital and other facilities with HVAC systems.
世界正面临着一场前所未有的大流行病，由一种名为 SARS-CoV-2 的冠状病毒引起，全球采取了前所未有的措施来应对其传播。人际传播是被接受的，但世界卫生组织仅在进行产生气溶胶的程序或支持性治疗时才考虑气溶胶传播。传播机制尚未完全了解，有证据表明存在空气传播途径，因为病毒在气溶胶中至少存活 3 小时，并且口罩的使用是预防感染的最佳干预措施。加热、通风和空调系统（HVAC）被用作主要的传染病控制措施。然而，如果使用不当，它们可能会像过去 SARS 那样导致空气传播疾病的传播/扩散。作者认为空气传播是可能的，并且 HVAC 系统如果使用不当，可能会导致病毒传播，正如日本、德国和钻石公主号邮轮的描述所表明的那样。以前在淘大花园、急诊室和酒店爆发的 SARS 也表明存在空气传播。需要进一步的研究来证实我们的假设，但假设这种传播方式会导致预防感染的建议措施发生重大转变，例如广泛使用口罩和对带有 HVAC 系统的医院和其他设施进行结构改变。
