Mucin transiently sustains coronavirus infectivity through heterogenous changes in phase morphology of evaporating aerosol

Jonathan P Reid; Robert W Alexander; Jiang-han Tian; Allen E Haddrell; Henry P Oswin; Edward D Neal; Dan A Hardy; Mara Otero Fernandez; Jamie F S Mann; Tristan A Cogan; Adam Finn; Andrew D Davidson; Darryl J Hill

doi:10.3390/v14091856

Mucin transiently sustains coronavirus infectivity through heterogenous changes in phase morphology of evaporating aerosol

Jonathan P Reid^*, Robert W Alexander, Jiang-han Tian, Allen E Haddrell^*, Henry P Oswin, Edward D Neal, Dan A Hardy, Mara Otero Fernandez, Jamie F S Mann, Tristan A Cogan, Adam Finn, Andrew D Davidson, Darryl J Hill^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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Abstract

Respiratory pathogens can be spread though the transmission of aerosolised expiratory secretions in the form of droplets or particulates. Understanding the fundamental aerosol parameters that govern how such pathogens survive whilst airborne is essential to understanding and developing methods of restricting their dissemination. Pathogen viability measurements made using Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosol onto Substrate (CELEBS) in tandem with a comparative kinetics electrodynamic balance (CKEDB) measurements allow for a direct comparison between viral viability and evaporation kinetics of the aerosol with a time resolution of seconds. Here, we report the airborne survival of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and determine a comparable loss of infectivity in the aerosol phase to our previous observations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Through the addition of clinically relevant concentrations of mucin to the bioaerosol, there is a transient mitigation of the loss of viral infectivity at 40% RH. Increased concentrations of mucin promoted heterogenous phase change during aerosol evaporation, characterised as the formation of inclusions within the host droplet. This research demonstrates the role of mucus in the aerosol phase and its influence on short-term airborne viral stability.

Original language	English
Article number	1856
Journal	Viruses
Volume	14
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/v14091856
Publication status	Published - 24 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge support from Jean-Charles Eloi, Electron microscopy technician from the School of Chemistry University of Bristol. William Browne, Professor of Statistics from the School of Education, University of Bristol.

Funding Information:
This research was funded by EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science, EPSRC project EP/S023593/1. This work was supported by the University of Bristol, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, and by BBSRC projects BB/T011688/1 and BB/W00884X/1.

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© 2022 by the authors.

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EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science
Reid, J. P. (Principal Investigator)
1/04/19 → 30/09/27
Project: Research
Exploring the Factors that Determine the Survival of Viruses in Aerosols and Droplets
Reid, J. P. (Principal Investigator)
1/04/22 → 31/03/25
Project: Research, Parent

The investigation of the dynamics of exhaled respiratory aerosols
Tian, J.-H. (Author), Reid, J. (Supervisor), 1 Oct 2024
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

File
‘Coughs and sneezes spread diseases’. The replication and modelling of infectious respiratory aerosol.
Alexander, R. W. (Author), Hill, D. J. (Supervisor) & Reid, J. P. (Supervisor), 18 Mar 2025
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

File

Cite this

Reid, J. P., Alexander, R. W., Tian, J., Haddrell, A. E., Oswin, H. P., Neal, E. D., Hardy, D. A., Otero Fernandez, M., Mann, J. F. S., Cogan, T. A., Finn, A., Davidson, A. D., & Hill, D. J. (2022). Mucin transiently sustains coronavirus infectivity through heterogenous changes in phase morphology of evaporating aerosol. Viruses, 14(9), Article 1856. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14091856

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title = "Mucin transiently sustains coronavirus infectivity through heterogenous changes in phase morphology of evaporating aerosol",

abstract = "Respiratory pathogens can be spread though the transmission of aerosolised expiratory secretions in the form of droplets or particulates. Understanding the fundamental aerosol parameters that govern how such pathogens survive whilst airborne is essential to understanding and developing methods of restricting their dissemination. Pathogen viability measurements made using Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosol onto Substrate (CELEBS) in tandem with a comparative kinetics electrodynamic balance (CKEDB) measurements allow for a direct comparison between viral viability and evaporation kinetics of the aerosol with a time resolution of seconds. Here, we report the airborne survival of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and determine a comparable loss of infectivity in the aerosol phase to our previous observations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Through the addition of clinically relevant concentrations of mucin to the bioaerosol, there is a transient mitigation of the loss of viral infectivity at 40% RH. Increased concentrations of mucin promoted heterogenous phase change during aerosol evaporation, characterised as the formation of inclusions within the host droplet. This research demonstrates the role of mucus in the aerosol phase and its influence on short-term airborne viral stability. ",

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note = "Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge support from Jean-Charles Eloi, Electron microscopy technician from the School of Chemistry University of Bristol. William Browne, Professor of Statistics from the School of Education, University of Bristol. Funding Information: This research was funded by EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science, EPSRC project EP/S023593/1. This work was supported by the University of Bristol, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, and by BBSRC projects BB/T011688/1 and BB/W00884X/1. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors.",

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AU - Oswin, Henry P

AU - Neal, Edward D

AU - Hardy, Dan A

AU - Otero Fernandez, Mara

AU - Mann, Jamie F S

AU - Cogan, Tristan A

AU - Finn, Adam

AU - Davidson, Andrew D

AU - Hill, Darryl J

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge support from Jean-Charles Eloi, Electron microscopy technician from the School of Chemistry University of Bristol. William Browne, Professor of Statistics from the School of Education, University of Bristol. Funding Information: This research was funded by EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science, EPSRC project EP/S023593/1. This work was supported by the University of Bristol, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, and by BBSRC projects BB/T011688/1 and BB/W00884X/1. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.

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N2 - Respiratory pathogens can be spread though the transmission of aerosolised expiratory secretions in the form of droplets or particulates. Understanding the fundamental aerosol parameters that govern how such pathogens survive whilst airborne is essential to understanding and developing methods of restricting their dissemination. Pathogen viability measurements made using Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosol onto Substrate (CELEBS) in tandem with a comparative kinetics electrodynamic balance (CKEDB) measurements allow for a direct comparison between viral viability and evaporation kinetics of the aerosol with a time resolution of seconds. Here, we report the airborne survival of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and determine a comparable loss of infectivity in the aerosol phase to our previous observations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Through the addition of clinically relevant concentrations of mucin to the bioaerosol, there is a transient mitigation of the loss of viral infectivity at 40% RH. Increased concentrations of mucin promoted heterogenous phase change during aerosol evaporation, characterised as the formation of inclusions within the host droplet. This research demonstrates the role of mucus in the aerosol phase and its influence on short-term airborne viral stability.

AB - Respiratory pathogens can be spread though the transmission of aerosolised expiratory secretions in the form of droplets or particulates. Understanding the fundamental aerosol parameters that govern how such pathogens survive whilst airborne is essential to understanding and developing methods of restricting their dissemination. Pathogen viability measurements made using Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosol onto Substrate (CELEBS) in tandem with a comparative kinetics electrodynamic balance (CKEDB) measurements allow for a direct comparison between viral viability and evaporation kinetics of the aerosol with a time resolution of seconds. Here, we report the airborne survival of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and determine a comparable loss of infectivity in the aerosol phase to our previous observations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Through the addition of clinically relevant concentrations of mucin to the bioaerosol, there is a transient mitigation of the loss of viral infectivity at 40% RH. Increased concentrations of mucin promoted heterogenous phase change during aerosol evaporation, characterised as the formation of inclusions within the host droplet. This research demonstrates the role of mucus in the aerosol phase and its influence on short-term airborne viral stability.

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DO - 10.3390/v14091856

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ER -

Mucin transiently sustains coronavirus infectivity through heterogenous changes in phase morphology of evaporating aerosol

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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Projects

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science

Exploring the Factors that Determine the Survival of Viruses in Aerosols and Droplets

Student theses

The investigation of the dynamics of exhaled respiratory aerosols

‘Coughs and sneezes spread diseases’. The replication and modelling of infectious respiratory aerosol.

Cite this