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Researchers in the United States say they have identified specific physiological features that can increase the spread of airborne pathogens, such as the coronavirus.
A team of scientists from the University of Central Florida’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering combined 3D modeling with numerical simulations to digitally recreate the sneezing of a variety of people with different physiological characteristics.
They investigated how factors such as a stuffy nose or a full set of teeth could contribute to so-called superspreader events, examining how far the viral load contained in the sneeze droplets travels and how long they stay in the air.
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to respiratory droplets from infected people is the primary means by which coronavirus is transmitted, so while somewhat crude, this area of study could be key to stopping the spread of the pandemic, with or without a vaccine.
The researchers established four models using computer-generated subjects with a full set of teeth and clear nose, no teeth and clear nose, no teeth and congested nose, and finally a full set of teeth with congested nose.
“They actually seem to drive the transmission. So if you see someone with no teeth, you can actually expect a fainter sneeze jet from them.” says Michael Kinzel, an assistant professor in UCF’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and co-author of the study.
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Meanwhile, they found that a clear nose reduces the speed and distance of a sneeze due to less intranasal pressure while a full set of teeth can increase the speed of a sneeze as it exits the oral cavity. A combination of a congested nose and full dentition can increase the spray distance of the droplets by up to 60 percent.
In other words, blowing your nose before going out in public could soon be considered a public good.
In order not to escape the ickys, the researchers also simulated different types of saliva ranging from thin to thick to determine the impact that viscosity has on viral transmission.
The team found that sneezing composed of thinner saliva tended to stay in the air longer, which coincided with previous research they had conducted.
Previously, they had explored the possibility of producing a Covid-19 cough lozenge to thicken people’s saliva and drag sneezing to the ground faster, thus reducing the likelihood of transmission in the immediate aftermath of a sneeze.
Cough drops to help control COVID-19? 😯 A team of UCF researchers is trying to change people’s saliva to help manage the spread of the virus https://t.co/vVU7vrWyKr
– UCF 😷 (@UCF) May 15, 2020
“The results show that exposure levels strongly depend on fluid dynamics which can vary according to different human characteristics”, says Kareem Ahmed, an associate professor in UCF’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and co-author of the study.
The researchers hope to conduct clinical trials with a variety of volunteers from multiple backgrounds and beyond “investigate the interactions between gas flow, mucus film and tissue structures” during coughing and sneezing and how they aid in the transmission of viruses and diseases.
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