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Review
. 2021 Jan 6;18(2):395.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020395.

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Mahdieh Delikhoon  1 , Marcelo I Guzman  2 , Ramin Nabizadeh  3 , Abbas Norouzian Baghani  3
Affiliations
Review

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Mahdieh Delikhoon et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The multiple modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission including airborne, droplet, contact, and fecal-oral transmissions that cause coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contribute to a public threat to the lives of people worldwide. Herein, different databases are reviewed to evaluate modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and study the effects of negative pressure ventilation, air conditioning system, and related protection approaches of this virus. Droplet transmission was commonly reported to occur in particles with diameter >5 µm that can quickly settle gravitationally on surfaces (1-2 m). Instead, fine and ultrafine particles (airborne transmission) can stay suspended for an extended period of time (≥2 h) and be transported further, e.g., up to 8 m through simple diffusion and convection mechanisms. Droplet and airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can be limited indoors with adequate ventilation of rooms, by routine disinfection of toilets, using negative pressure rooms, using face masks, and maintaining social distancing. Other preventive measures recommended include increasing the number of screening tests of suspected carriers of SARS-CoV-2, reducing the number of persons in a room to minimize sharing indoor air, and monitoring people's temperature before accessing a building. The work reviews a body of literature supporting the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through air, causing COVID-19 disease, which requires coordinated worldwide strategies.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; infection; pandemic.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA 2009 flow diagram of the structured literature review.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Conceptualization of SARS-CoV-2 deposition: (a) once infected with novel coronavirus, viral particles get in the lungs and upper respiratory tract; (b) transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via droplets and aerosolized viral particles when COVID-19 patients talking, coughing, breathing, singing, and sneezing and can distribute on the other people’s nose, mouth, eyes, clothes, and nearby surroundings; (c) SARS-CoV-2 from the mouth and nose is often observed on the hands; and (d) SARS-CoV-2 could be distributed to often touched surfaces and objects [63].
Figure 3
Figure 3
The droplet transmission of SARS-CoV-2 with particles >5 µm [9].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Survival of SARS-CoV-2 on different surfaces [73].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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