Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Nat Commun. 2021 Mar 12;12(1):1653. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21918-6.
SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019 and caused a pandemic, whereas the closely related SARS-CoV was contained rapidly in 2003. Here, an experimental set-up is used to study transmission of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 through the air between ferrets over more than a meter distance. Both viruses cause a robust productive respiratory tract infection resulting in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to two of four indirect recipient ferrets and SARS-CoV to all four. A control pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus also transmits efficiently. Serological assays confirm all virus transmission events. Although the experiments do not discriminate between transmission via small aerosols, large droplets and fomites, these results demonstrate that SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious while traveling through the air. Efficient virus transmission between ferrets is in agreement with frequent SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in mink farms. Although the evidence for virus transmission via the air between humans under natural conditions is absent or weak for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, ferrets may represent a sensitive model to study interventions aimed at preventing virus transmission.
SARS-CoV-2 于 2019 年末出现并引发了大流行，而与之密切相关的 SARS-CoV 则于 2003 年迅速得到控制。在这里，我们使用实验装置研究了 SARS-CoV 和 SARS-CoV-2 通过空气在超过 1 米的距离在雪貂之间的传播。两种病毒都会导致强烈的呼吸道感染，导致 SARS-CoV-2 传播给 4 只间接接受的雪貂中的 2 只，SARS-CoV 则传播给 4 只雪貂。对照的大流行 A/H1N1 流感病毒也能有效地传播。血清学检测证实了所有的病毒传播事件。尽管实验并不能区分通过小气溶胶、大飞沫和污染物传播，但这些结果表明，SARS-CoV 和 SARS-CoV-2 在空气中传播时仍具有传染性。SARS-CoV-2 在水貂养殖场频繁爆发，这与雪貂之间高效的病毒传播是一致的。尽管 SARS-CoV 和 SARS-CoV-2 在自然条件下通过空气在人与人之间传播的证据不足或很弱，但雪貂可能代表着一个敏感的模型，可以研究旨在预防病毒传播的干预措施。
