ArticleNature communications2021
SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 are transmitted through the air between ferrets over more than one meter distance.
Article in Nature communications, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 102 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
102 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Viral cultures for assessing airborne infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Pooled it
- Long distance airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: rapid systematic review.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2022Pooled it
- Antiviral GHP-88310 blocks contact-mediated and airborne transmission in a ferret model of measles-like disease.Nature microbiology · 2026Article
- Discontinuing contact precautions for COVID-19: the science says its time.Infection control and hospital epidemiology · 2026Article
- Climatic Influence on COVID-19: Investigating the Role of Temperature and Humidity in the Spread of the Omicron Variant.GeoHealth · 2026Article
- Review
- Translating animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection to vascular, neurological and gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19.Disease models & mechanisms · 2025Review
- SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosol transmission in experimentally infected American mink.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Evaluation of an electrostatic precipitator in mitigating the transmission of airborne viruses in experimentally infected pigs.Veterinary research · 2025Article
- Review
- Evaluation of the decontamination efficacy of a portable air cleaner using 275-nm UVC-LED radiation against airborne Coronavirus and Influenza virus.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2025Article
- Animal models of Long Covid: A hit-and-run disease.Science translational medicine · 2024Review
- Bioaerosols and Airborne Transmission in the Dental Clinic.International dental journal · 2024Review
- Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases: global trends and new strategies for their prevention and control.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2024Review
- SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.The Journal of general virology · 2024Article
- Article
- Natural and socio-environmental factors in the transmission of COVID-19: a comprehensive analysis of epidemiology and mechanisms.BMC public health · 2024Review
- The reverse zoonotic potential of SARS-CoV-2.Heliyon · 2024Review
- Antiviral Effect of Antimicrobial Peptoid TM9 and Murine Model of Respiratory Coronavirus Infection.Pharmaceutics · 2024Article
- Care, management, and use of ferrets in biomedical research.Laboratory animal research · 2024Review
42 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019 and caused a pandemic, whereas the closely related SARS-CoV was contained rapidly in 2003. Here, an experimental set-up is used to study transmission of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 through the air between ferrets over more than a meter distance. Both viruses cause a robust productive respiratory tract infection resulting in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to two of four indirect recipient ferrets and SARS-CoV to all four. A control pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus also transmits efficiently. Serological assays confirm all virus transmission events. Although the experiments do not discriminate between transmission via small aerosols, large droplets and fomites, these results demonstrate that SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious while traveling through the air. Efficient virus transmission between ferrets is in agreement with frequent SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in mink farms. Although the evidence for virus transmission via the air between humans under natural conditions is absent or weak for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, ferrets may represent a sensitive model to study interventions aimed at preventing virus transmission.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.