Journal of Medical Council of Iran
Volume 44, Issue 3 (2026)
jmciri 2026, 44(3): 20-25 |
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Ethics code: IR.SBMU.NRITLD.REC.1404.119
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Khalilolahi S, Velayati F, Fadaizadeh L. Tuberculosis Transmission Risks in Air Travel for Tourism: Evidence and Prevention Strategies. jmciri 2026; 44 (3) :20-25
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3458-en.html
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3458-en.html
MD, Associate Professor of Anesthesia, Telemedicine Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (19 Views)
Abstract
Background: With the expansion of tourism and air travel, concerns have arisen about the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, in the closed environments of aircraft, through air circulation or respiratory droplets on long-haul flights.
Methods: This research was conducted in 2025 using a narrative review method. To access resources, a search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using the keywords “tuberculosis”, “Mycobacterium tuberculosis”, “tourism”, and “air travel”. Inclusion criteria included original research articles that simultaneously addressed both ‘tuberculosis’ and ‘air travel’; accordingly, articles covering only one of these two topics or falling under the category of news reports were excluded from the study process. Finally, data extracted from relevant articles were coded and classified.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the TB-causing agent) is probable during long-duration flights (over 8 hours) via inhalation of fine aerosol droplets from coughing, sneezing, and talking. Therefore, to reduce the risk of disease transmission in the enclosed aircraft cabin, the implementation of categorized preventive strategies for managing and preventing infection transmission is recommended.
Results: In this study, 19 relevant articles were selected from the initial 25 findings. Through the analysis and summarization of the extracted data from these selected articles, prevention strategies for TB transmission were classified into three primary categories: pre-flight actions, in-flight actions, and post-flight actions.
Background: With the expansion of tourism and air travel, concerns have arisen about the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, in the closed environments of aircraft, through air circulation or respiratory droplets on long-haul flights.
Methods: This research was conducted in 2025 using a narrative review method. To access resources, a search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using the keywords “tuberculosis”, “Mycobacterium tuberculosis”, “tourism”, and “air travel”. Inclusion criteria included original research articles that simultaneously addressed both ‘tuberculosis’ and ‘air travel’; accordingly, articles covering only one of these two topics or falling under the category of news reports were excluded from the study process. Finally, data extracted from relevant articles were coded and classified.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the TB-causing agent) is probable during long-duration flights (over 8 hours) via inhalation of fine aerosol droplets from coughing, sneezing, and talking. Therefore, to reduce the risk of disease transmission in the enclosed aircraft cabin, the implementation of categorized preventive strategies for managing and preventing infection transmission is recommended.
Results: In this study, 19 relevant articles were selected from the initial 25 findings. Through the analysis and summarization of the extracted data from these selected articles, prevention strategies for TB transmission were classified into three primary categories: pre-flight actions, in-flight actions, and post-flight actions.
Type of Study: Review |
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