Generation and characterization of large-particle aerosols using a center flow tangential aerosol generator with a non-human-primate, head-only aerosol chamber

Abstract

Aerosol droplets or particles produced from infected respiratory secretions have the potential to infect another host through inhalation. These respiratory particles can be polydisperse and range from 0.05 to 500 µm in diameter. Animal models of infection are generally established to facilitate the potential licensure of candidate prophylactics and/or therapeutics. Consequently, aerosol-based animal infection models are needed to properly study and counter airborne infections. Ideally, experimental aerosol exposure should reliably result in animal disease that faithfully reproduces the modeled human disease. Few studies have been performed to explore the relationship between exposure particle size and induced disease course for infectious aerosol particles. The center flow tangential aerosol generator (CenTAG™) produces large-particle aerosols capable of safely delivering a variety of infectious aerosols to non-human primates (NHPs) within a Class III Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) for establishment or refinement of NHP infectious disease models. Here, we report the adaptation of this technology to the Animal Biosafety Level 4 (ABSL-4) environment for the future study of high-consequence viral pathogens and the characterization of CenTAG™-created sham (no animal, no virus) aerosols using a variety of viral growth media and media supplements.

• ABSL-4
• aerobiology
• aerosol
• BSL-4
• CenTAG
• large particle

Declaration of interest

The work was funded in part through Battelle Memorial Institute’s prime contract with NIAID, under Contract No. HHSN272200700016I. J.K.B., J.W. and L.B. performed this work as employees of Battelle Memorial Institute. Subcontractors to Battelle Memorial Institute who performed this work are: J.H.K., an employee of Tunnell Government Services, Inc. and M.G.L., an employee of Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Inc. This work was supported in part by NIAID Division of Intramural Research. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and companies affiliated with the authors. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement of recommendation for use.