Aerobiology of Respiratory Infectious Viruses: Recent Paradoxes, Mechanistic Insights, and Future Perspectives
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the interplay of human behavior, environmental factors, viral evolution, and public health interventions has resulted in unexpected changes in the timing, intensity, and geography of respiratory virus outbreaks. For example, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) exhibited a surge during atypical summer months in several countries. Influenza, on the other hand, nearly vanished in the early years of the pandemic, but returned with unusual strength and altered seasonal patterns. Concurrently, new variants of concern in coronaviruses have demonstrated increased airborne transmissibility, greater resilience to environmental conditions, and the ability to evade both natural and vaccine-induced immunity. In this review article, we have synthesized the current understanding of the aerobiology of respiratory infectious viruses, with a particular emphasis on the paradoxical trends observed in recent years. We examined various aspects, including viral morphology and environmental survivability, shifts in seasonality, the drivers of mutation and resistance, and the impact of environmental and climatic factors. Key issues we explored include viral morphology adaptation in response to airborne selective pressures and climate variability influence on the ecology of airborne viruses. Lastly, we investigated future risks and proposed an interdisciplinary framework for monitoring and mitigating airborne viral threats in an ever-changing world.
Source: Aerobiology
Authors: Kavita Ghosal, Atin Adhikari
Institution: Georgia Southern University
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
OpenAlex ID: W4413721252