On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a comprehensive report titled "Global Technical Consultation Report on Proposed Terminology for Pathogens that Transmit through the Air," after conducting a global technical consultation from major CDCs on the transmission of airborne pathogens.
The consultation, which took place in multiple stages between 2021 and 2023, highlighted the need for uniform terminology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report presents updated consistent terminology for pathogens responsible for respiratory infections like COVID-19, influenza, measles, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), tuberculosis, and others.
The WHO said it had been agreed that all pathogen particles transmitted through the air, regardless of size, should be referred to as "infectious respiratory particles," or IRPs. The distinction between airborne transmission or inhalation, and direct deposition which is when particles settle on another person's exposed areas, was also maintained.
This agreed-upon terminology for airborne pathogen transmission is expected to pave the way for new research agendas and the execution of public health interventions to detect, communicate, and respond to both existing and emerging pathogens.
WHO Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar stressed that the widespread adoption of the new terminology within the scientific community would enhance collaboration and cross-disciplinary understanding. The report is a significant milestone in the global effort to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and other respiratory infections that pose a threat to public health.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Health News
April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.