Graduation Date

Spring 5-10-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Programs

Immunology, Pathology & Infectious Disease

First Advisor

Joshua L. Santarpia, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

St. Patrick Reid, Ph.D.

Abstract

The threat posed by a virus as a bioaerosol depends largely on its stability under various environmental conditions (relative humidity (RH), sunlight, ozone, etc.). This stability is typically studied through aerosol decay—how the virus' viability changes over time when exposed environmental conditions. The Goldberg rotating drum, a widely used tool for studying bioaerosols, has been the basis of such research (Goldberg et al., 1958). However, it has significant limitations, including an inability to measure initial pathogen infectivity loss and the use of small sample volumes. Additionally, it does not answer the question of what intrinsic factors (lipids, proteins, nucleic acids) cause a virus to become inactivated after exposure.

To address these challenges, we designed the Biological Aerosol Reaction Chamber (Bio-ARC), a novel flow-through system designed to expose large quantities of bioaerosols to controlled environmental conditions. This innovative approach allows for a more in-depth analysis of aerosol decay mechanisms. This was confirmed with the use of Bacteriophage MS2 (Chapter 2), which also found that the Bio-ARC witnesses the dynamic decay profile.

Following BSL-2 work, we moved the Bio-ARC into the BSL-3. There we investigated the aerostability of two viruses with distinct transmission pathways: Sin Nombre Virus (SNV), which spreads via inhalation of contaminated rodent excreta (Chapter 3), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which transmits through respiratory fluids (Chapter 4). Despite similarities as enveloped viruses with comparable protein structures, these pathogens differ significantly in their transmission routes. For the first time, we report aerostability data for SNV, alongside findings on the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 to ozone, simulated sunlight, and relative humidity. Additionally, we have begun to answer which intrinsic factors are responsible for virus inactivation when exposed to environmental conditions. These insights not only deepen our understanding of aerosolized virus behavior but also pave the way for more effective public health interventions for SNV and SARS-CoV-2.

Comments

2025 Copyright, the authors

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