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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Environmental Science & Technology

Influenza A (H1N1) and SARS-CoV‑2 Transmission in Airplanes: Quanta Profiles and Infection Control

  • Ao Li1
  • Hui-Ling Yen2
  • Nancy H. L. Leung2
  • Julian W. Tang3
  • Yuguo Li1,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
  2. 2School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
  3. 3Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester LE1 5WW, U.K.
  4. 4Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Abstract

Airborne transmission of influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09 and SARS-CoV-2 (ancestral strain) poses critical challenges in confined high-occupancy spaces, including aircraft, public transit, and institutional settings. Population-level quanta generation rate profiles, quantifying infectious particle emissions, are vital for assessing airborne infection risk but are poorly characterized. Short-range transmission complicates risk assessment due to variable close-contact scenarios. We estimated these profiles from 40 airplane outbreaks (14 influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09, 26 SARS-CoV-2) using a novel heterogeneity matching method and an integrated Wells–Riley model combining short- and long-range transmission, calibrated via Monte Carlo simulations. Results reveal super-emitter-driven variability. A new metric, close time equivalents for standardizing close-contact exposure, was calculated for 23 outbreaks (6 influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09, 17 SARS-CoV-2). Outbreak-derived quanta rates align with viral-load-based estimates, though the latter show greater variability. The population-level ventilation distribution compiled from commercial Boeing and Airbus cabin studies supports the robustness of the estimates. Impractical clean air equivalents for mitigating super-emitter transmission necessitate mask-wearing, effectively reducing close-contact and long-range transmission. These findings inform public health strategies for confined spaces and emerging variants.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{li2026influenza,
  title = {{Influenza A (H1N1) and SARS-CoV‑2 Transmission in Airplanes: Quanta Profiles and Infection Control}},
  author = {Ao Li and Hui-Ling Yen and Nancy H. L. Leung and Julian W. Tang and Yuguo Li},
  journal = {Environmental Science \& Technology},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c09696},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c09696},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Influenza A (H1N1) and SARS-CoV‑2 Transmission in Airplanes: Quanta Profiles and Infection Control
AU  - Ao Li
AU  - Hui-Ling Yen
AU  - Nancy H. L. Leung
AU  - Julian W. Tang
AU  - Yuguo Li
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/22
JO  - Environmental Science & Technology
DO  - 10.1021/acs.est.6c09696
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c09696
AB  - Airborne transmission of influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09 and SARS-CoV-2 (ancestral strain) poses critical challenges in confined high-occupancy spaces, including aircraft, public transit, and institutional settings. Population-level quanta generation rate profiles, quantifying infectious particle emissions, are vital for assessing airborne infection risk but are poorly characterized. Short-range transmission complicates risk assessment due to variable close-contact scenarios. We estimated these profiles from 40 airplane outbreaks (14 influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09, 26 SARS-CoV-2) using a novel heterogeneity matching method and an integrated Wells–Riley model combining short- and long-range transmission, calibrated via Monte Carlo simulations. Results reveal super-emitter-driven variability. A new metric, close time equivalents for standardizing close-contact exposure, was calculated for 23 outbreaks (6 influenza A­(H1N1)­pdm09, 17 SARS-CoV-2). Outbreak-derived quanta rates align with viral-load-based estimates, though the latter show greater variability. The population-level ventilation distribution compiled from commercial Boeing and Airbus cabin studies supports the robustness of the estimates. Impractical clean air equivalents for mitigating super-emitter transmission necessitate mask-wearing, effectively reducing close-contact and long-range transmission. These findings inform public health strategies for confined spaces and emerging variants.
SN  - 0013-936X
SN  - 1520-5851
ER  -