Efficacy of face masks to prevent respiratory virus transmission: abridged secondary publication
BJ Cowling, DK Ip, HL Yen
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
 
 
1. Various respiratory viruses can be detected in exhaled breath of patients with acute respiratory infections.
2. Viral loads are greatest in those with influenza virus infection.
3. We did not identify a significant effect of surgical face masks in reducing the amount of respiratory virus detected in coarse or fine particles in exhaled breath.