Germ-Free Mice Under Two-Layer Textiles Are Fully Protected From Bacteria in Sprayed Microdroplets: A Functional in vivo Test Method of Facemask/Filtration Materials.

ABSTRACT: Several studies have measured the effectiveness of masks at retaining particles of various sizes in vitro. To identify a functional in vivo model, herein we used germ-free (GF) mice to test the effectiveness of textiles as filtration material and droplet barriers to complement available in vitro-based knowledge. Herein, we report a study conducted in vivo with bacteria-carrying microdroplets to determine to what extent household textiles prevent contamination of GF mice in their environment. Using a recently validated spray-simulation method (mimicking a sneeze), herein we first determined that combed-cotton textiles used as two-layer-barriers covering the mouse cages prevented the contamination of all GF animals when sprayed 10-20 bacterial-droplet units/cm

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Palacios A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7479817 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature