{
  "abstract": "Respiratory viruses pose a major threat to human health. Environmental virus persistence in respiratory secretions is essential for successful spread, yet studies have focused largely on a select few viruses in non-physiological matrices. Here, we compared the stability of structurally distinct human respiratory viruses, adenovirus, influenza virus, and rhinovirus, in deposited particles of pooled human saliva under indoor-relevant relative humidity (RH) conditions. Adenovirus exhibited <2.2-log10 decay over 6 h regardless of RH, while rhinovirus exhibited significantly greater degradation (>3.8-log10, at 50% and 80% RH). Influenza virus showed minimal decay at 20% and 50% RH but degraded significantly more (3-log10) at 80% RH. To distinguish aspects of human saliva that are key determinants in driving virus decay, we recapitulated saliva composition using the inorganic solute and protein concentrations determined via ion-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and proteomics, respectively. Rhinovirus was significantly more stable in simulated saliva than in human saliva at 50% RH, while influenza virus and adenovirus behaved similarly in both matrices. These findings emphasize virus-specific environmental persistence and highlight limitations of relying on a single virus and particle matrix for defining public health strategies. Ultimately, these insights will contribute to approaches for mitigating environmental transmission of distinct respiratory pathogens.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Duke University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "M. Olive"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Broemmel"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Knight"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "N. C. Rockey"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dgjsk224r865c.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.23.753914",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753914v1.full",
  "id": "dgjsk224r865c",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753914v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "microbiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2740|Infection Control and Ventilation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214241497",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753914v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-23",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dgjsk224r865c.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:24:24Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.23.753914",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753914v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Relative humidity differentially modulates decay of structurally distinct respiratory viruses in deposited human saliva particles",
  "title_text": "Relative humidity differentially modulates decay of structurally distinct respiratory viruses in deposited human saliva particles",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:24:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dgjsk224r865c",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}