The factors governing the viability of airborne viruses embedded within respiratory particles are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the relative humidity (RH)-dependent viability of airborne respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in simulated respiratory particles suspended in various indoor air conditions. We tested airborne RSV viability in three static indoor air conditions, including sub-hysteresis (RH < 39%), hysteresis (39% < RH < 65%), and super-hysteresis (RH > 65%) air as well as in three dynamic indoor air conditions, including the transitions between the static conditions. The dynamic conditions were hysteresis → super-hysteresis → hysteresis, sub-hysteresis → hysteresis, and super-hysteresis → hysteresis. We found that after 45 min of particle aging in static conditions, the viability of RSV in sub-hysteresis, hysteresis, and super-hysteresis air was 0.72% ± 0.06%, 0.03% ± 0.006%, and 0.27% ± 0.008%, respectively. After 45 min of aging in dynamic conditions, the RSV viability decreased for particles that remained in a liquid (deliquesced) state during aging when compared with particles in a solid (effloresced) state. The decreased viability of airborne RSV for deliquesced particles is consistent with prolonged exposure to elevated aqueous solutes. These results represent the first measurements of the survival of airborne RSV over particle aging time, with equal viability in low, intermediate, and high RHs at 5 and 15 min and a V-shaped curve after 45 min.
Keywords: RSV; airborne virus; airborne virus survival; indoor air; relative humidity.