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Older people exhale exponentially more aerosol particles: Study
Context
Recently, Scientists have reported that healthy people emit exponentially more aerosol particles from their lungs as they age, both at rest and during exercise.
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In an aerosol, very fine solid or liquid particles are suspended in a fluid. For example, air that contains ‘PM2.5 particulate matter’ can be considered an aerosol. |
About the study:
- Older studies had shown that the amount of aerosol particles that people of all ages emitted increased by more than 100-fold from rest to intense exercise.
- The study found that older people, aged 60-70 years, emitted twice as many aerosol particles and five-times as much dry volume i.e., the volume of dried aerosol particles, as those aged 20-39.
- Significance:
- The new findings suggest disease-transmission models may have to account differently for younger and older people.
- Higher aerosol emissions by older people could potentially correlate with a higher infection risk for others when an older infected person is present compared to a younger infected person.
What are Air-borne Diseases?
- Airborne diseases are illnesses spread by tiny pathogens in the air. These can be bacteria, fungi, or viruses, but they are all transmitted through airborne contact.
- In most cases, an airborne disease is contracted when someone breathes in infected air.
- And a person also spreads the disease through their breath, particularly by sneezing and coughing, and through phlegm.
- Particles that cause airborne diseases are small enough to cling to the air.
- They hang on dust particles, moisture droplets, or on the breath until they are picked up. They are also acquired by contact with bodily fluids, such as mucus or phlegm.
- Common airborne diseases include: Influenza, common cold, Mumps, Measles, Whooping cough.
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