S evere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 2, is a readily transmissible zoonotic pathogen and the etiologic agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (1). To determine aerosol stability of the virus, we measured the dynamic (short-term) aerosol efficiencies of SARS-CoV-2 and compared its efficiency with those of SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The Study We analyzed these 3 viruses' dynamic aerosol efficiencies using 3 nebulizers, the Collison 3-jet (C3), Collison 6-jet (C6) (http://www.chtechusa.com), and Aerogen Solo (AS) (https://www.aerogen.com), to generate viral aerosols (Appendix, https://wwwnc. cdc.gov/EID/article/26/9/20-1806-App1.pdf). We performed comparative efficiency experiments once in each of 4 aerobiology laboratories (Tulane Uni

The emergent coronavirus, designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a zoonotic pathogen that has demonstrated remarkable transmissibility in the human population and is the etiological agent of a current global pandemic called COVID-19. We measured the dynamic (short-term) aerosol efficiencies of SARS-CoV-2 and compared the efficiencies with two other emerging coronaviruses, SARS-CoV (emerged in 2002) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV; emerged starting in 2012). We also quantified the long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and its ability to maintain infectivity when suspended in aerosols for up to 16 hours.

Airborne transmission is predicted to be a prevalent route of human exposure with SARS-CoV-2. Aside from African green monkeys, nonhuman primate models that replicate airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 have not been investigated. A comparative evaluation of COVID-19 in African green monkeys, rhesus macaques, and cynomolgus macaques following airborne exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was performed to determine critical disease parameters associated with disease progression, and establish correlations between primate and human COVID-19. Respiratory abnormalities and viral shedding were noted for all animals, indicating successful infection. Cynomolgus macaques developed fever, and thrombocytopenia was measured for African green monkeys and rhesus macaques. Type II pneumocyte hyperplasia and alveolar fibrosis were more frequently observed in lung tissue from cynomolgus macaques and African green monkeys. The data indicate that, in addition to African green monkeys, macaques can be successfully infected by airborne SARS-CoV-2, providing viable macaque natural transmission models for medical countermeasure evaluation.

Abstract. Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in workers and residents of swine farms were studied on 43 farms in Illinois. Blood samples were collected from 174 adults in 1993. The T. gondii seroprevalence was 31%. An interview was conducted with each participant, obtaining information on demographic characteristics and behaviors suspected to affect the risk of T. gondii infection. Factors associated with increased risk of T. gondii seropositivity were a higher number of seropositive cats trapped on the farm, male sex, rearing pigs on pasture, and gardening. Factors associated with a decreased risk were handling of pig feed and presence of cats inside the pig facilities. Thus, infection of cats with T. gondii increased the risk of human infection, and contact with soil was a likely mechanism for transmission. The increased risk of seropositivity in males is attributed to less attention paid to cleanliness in food preparation and eating.