The New York researchers, after struggling to find an appropriate and acceptable way of conducting the study, used guinea pigs as subjects, after the animal proved to be capable of spreading the influenza virus. The idea was taken from a paper published in the American Medical Association journal.
New York Times explained that after reading the article, the study's lead author Dr. Peter Palese decided to expose the guinea pigs to the virus, then expose them to environments of varying controlled temperatures.
The spread of the virus was most prevalent at 41 degrees, and a decline in transmission was observed as the temperature rose. The virus stopped transmission completely at 86 degrees.
Lower temperatures also resulted in more number of days of the guinea pigs spreading the virus.
A number of hypotheses were previously forwarded regarding the transmission of the influenza virus, including the decrease in the natural production of vitamin D or melatonin when days are shorter, resulting in lower immunity.
Another was the huddling of children at school, with the kids getting exposed to the strain and then transferring it to their families back home.
According to the Star Tribune, the details of his study in the October 19 issue of PLoS Pathogens.
Dr. Palese, is the chairman of the Mount Sinai Medical College's microbiology department.
