It is starting to feel like spring, and in the warmer weather there are also seasonal allergies, which can increase susceptibility to a COVID-19 infection, the findings of a new study suggest.
In the study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz Zentrum München noted that co-exposure to airborne pollen increases susceptibility to viral respiratory infections in general “, regardless of allergy status. “
“We hypothesized that this could also be true for SARS-CoV-2 infections,” they wrote.
For the study, the researchers “tested the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and pollen concentrations” by cross-referencing humidity, temperature, population density and blocking effects from 130 sites in 31 countries and five continents, they said.
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In the end, they found that higher levels of pollen were associated with increases in infection rates for the virus that causes COVID-19, scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2. More specifically, the researchers noticed a 10-30% increase in the rate of virus infection when pollen levels were higher.
The researchers also noted that infection rates generally increased when higher concentrations of pollen were in the air, noting that infection rates increased about four days after observing higher concentrations of pollen.
The researchers offered a hypothesis as to why high pollen days may be linked to an increase in COVID-19 infection rates.
“High concentrations of pollen lead to a weaker immune response in the airways to viruses that can cause coughs and colds. When a virus enters the body, infected cells usually send messenger proteins. This is also the case for SARS-CoV-2 These proteins, known as antiviral interferons, signal nearby cells to scale up their antiviral defenses to keep invaders at bay. In addition, an appropriate inflammatory response is activated to fight viruses, “explains a press release on the findings.
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“But if the pollen concentrations in the air are high and the pollen grains are inhaled with the virus particles, less antiviral interferons will be generated. The beneficial inflammatory response itself is also affected. Therefore, on days with a high concentration of pollen, can lead to an increase in the number of respiratory diseases. This also applies to Covid-19. It is irrelevant whether individuals are allergic to different types of pollen. “
The researchers noted that their findings are especially important for high-risk groups as they are at an increased risk of serious illnesses because of COVID-19, noting that this group should consider using a face mask on high pollen days.
“You cannot avoid exposure to airborne pollen,” said Stefanie Gilles, one of the study’s lead authors, in a statement. “People in high-risk groups should therefore be informed that high levels of pollen concentrations in the air lead to an increased susceptibility to viral respiratory tract infections.”