Fig. 1: Environmental impact assessment of the conditions on temperature, weight, water, and food intake of hamsters.

To acclimatize the animals to study conditions, animals were housed in airborne transmission cages³⁰ inside an environmental chamber. Hamsters were first acclimatized by gradual in- or decrease of relative humidity and temperature and subsequently housed at either 10 °C, 45% RH, 27 °C, 65% RH or 22 °C, 45% RH for 5 days before the start of the experiment. A Changes in hamster activity and physiology during acclimatization to environmental test conditions. Body temperature, weights, food uptake and water uptake were measured daily. Median and 95%CI are depicted in line graphs, N = 5. blue = 10 °C, 45% RH, red = 27 °C, 65% RH, gray = 22 °C, 45% RH. B Area under the curve (AUC) for body temperature, weights, food uptake and water uptake. Median and 95%CI are depicted in bar graphs, n = 5. blue = 10 °C, 45% RH, red = 27 °C, 65% RH, gray = 22 °C, 45% RH. P values are indicated where significant. Abbreviations: AUC area under the curve.