Assignment ll: Microbes in the News
Can airborne viruses survive in water?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170421091523.htm
This article discusses an equine herpes virus and its ability to survive in water. This causes a problem for shared water among animals. It also gives insight into viruses that can survive outside of their preferred conditions.
The first thing that came to mind after reading this article is the infectious game we played with the beach ball. This was the same lecture we talked about possible ways an infection can be passed: airborne, contact. However, for me, a combination was never considered.
An airborne virus also being able to survive in water makes the area spreading of that virus that much wider. The article mentions that even when the animal with the virus is absent, other animals were getting the infection through the shared water. This is important because trying to maintain the spread of an infection is only possible when you know all of the pathways of infection.
My question is: Have viruses always been able to survive outside of their ideal environment?