Airborne diseases are spread when droplets of pathogens are expelled into the air due to coughing, sneezing or talking. Airborne transmission is a form of vehicle transmission where as transmission occurs via mediums routinely taken into the body such as air, food or liquid.
Airborne transmission occurs typically when droplets (most commonly mucous droplets) remain airborne as:
Aerosols (very small droplets)
Associated with dust particles
The most common airborne diseases of concern are:
Meningitis: Inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord.
Many of these diseases require prolonged exposure for infection to occur, posing only minimal threat to those in breif contact. However, there are measures such as wearing a Mask or maximizing ventilation, that can help further reduce the risk of exposure.