ArticleFrontiers in physiology2023
Inhalation of virus-loaded droplets as a clinically plausible pathway to deep lung infection.
Article in Frontiers in physiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Spatially structured models of viral dynamics: a scoping review.Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR · 2025Article
- Development of COPMAN-Air method for high-sensitivity detection of SARS-CoV-2 in air.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Perspectives on physics-based one-dimensional modeling of lung physiology.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Article
- Editorial: Translating biomechanics of the human airways for classification, diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary diseases.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Insights into the fluid dynamics of bioaerosol formation in a model respiratory tract.Biomicrofluidics · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, preliminarily infect the nasopharyngeal mucosa. The mechanism of infection spread from the nasopharynx to the deep lung-which may cause a severe infection-is, however, still unclear. We propose a clinically plausible mechanism of infection spread to the deep lung through droplets, present in the nasopharynx, inhaled and transported into the lower respiratory tract. A coupled mathematical model of droplet, virus transport and virus infection kinetics is exercised to demonstrate clinically observed times to deep lung infection. The model predicts, in agreement with clinical observations, that severe infection can develop in the deep lung within 2.5-7 days of initial symptom onset. Results indicate that while fluid dynamics plays an important role in transporting the droplets, infection kinetics and immune responses determine infection growth and resolution. Immune responses, particularly antibodies and T-lymphocytes, are observed to be critically important for preventing infection severity. This reinforces the role of vaccination in preventing severe infection. Managing aerosolization of infected nasopharyngeal mucosa is additionally suggested as a strategy for minimizing infection spread and severity.
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Registered trials
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