Perbedaan droplet infeksi dengan airborne disease

Airborne transmission occurs when bacteria or viruses travel on dust particles or on small respiratory
droplets that may become aerosolized when people sneeze, cough, laugh, or exhale. They hang in the air
much like invisible smoke. They can travel on air currents over considerable distances. These droplets
are loaded with infectious particles.
With airborne transmission, direct contact with someone who is infected is not necessary to become ill.
The amount of exposure necessary varies from disease to disease. With chickenpox, a child could easily
catch it from another aisle in a supermarket. With tuberculosis, closer contact and less air circulation are
often needed.
Many common infections can spread by airborne transmission at least in somecases, including:
Anthrax (inhalational)
Chickenpox
Influenza
Smallpox
Measles
Tuberculosis
Rubella
Mumps...etc...

Droplet transmission occurs when contagious droplets produced by the infected host are propelled a
short distance through coughing or sneezing and can come into contact with another person's
conjunctiva, mouth or nasal mucosa. Influenza can be transmitted by large droplets, which generally
travel 3 to 6 feet. Since these droplets generally are large (greater than 10 micrometers) and do not stay
suspended in the air, this mode of transmission is not affected by special air handling or control of room
pressures. Large droplets appear to be the primary route of nosocomial [hospital acquired] transmission.

Droplet nuclei (airborne) transmission entails the production of infectious droplet nuclei, generally 5
micrometers or less in diameter. In contrast with larger droplets, these droplets can remain suspended in
the air and be disseminated by air currents in a room or through a facility to be inhaled by a susceptible
host. Small droplet nuclei and aerosols can remain suspended in the air for prolonged periods and travel
significant distances. Small particles appear to be more infectious, with both the degree of infectivity and
the severity of illness and is directly related to particle size. Aerosols smaller than 10 microns have been
shown to cause more severe disease and require a smaller inoculum than large intranasal droplets.
Preventing the spread of droplet nuclei requires the use of special air handling and ventilation
procedures.
So when the droplet is large (>10 micrometers) and in a short distance: Droplet transmission.
When the droplet is small (< 10 micrometers) and can travel a long distance: Airborne transmission.