AEMCA Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of airborne transmission?

1. Sharing a drink with an infected person

2. Touching an infected surface and then your face

3. Inhaling droplets from a person who is coughing

4. Engaging in sexual contact with an infected partner

The correct answer is: Inhaling droplets from a person who is coughing

Airborne transmission refers specifically to the spread of pathogens through the air via droplets or aerosols that can remain suspended and travel over distances before being inhaled by a person. In this context, inhaling droplets from a person who is coughing is a classic example of airborne transmission. When someone coughs, they release respiratory droplets that can carry infectious agents; if another person inhales these droplets, they can become infected. The other choices illustrate different methods of disease transmission. Sharing a drink with an infected person indicates direct contact through saliva, which does not involve airborne particles. Touching an infected surface and then your face represents a form of contact transmission, where the pathogen is transferred from a surface to a person without the involvement of the air. Engaging in sexual contact with an infected partner involves the exchange of bodily fluids, a form of direct transmission rather than airborne. Therefore, the option highlighting inhalation of droplets from coughing is the only one that exemplifies airborne transmission accurately.