The Effects of Air Pollution on COVID-19 Infection and Mortality—A Review on Recent Evidence

Ali, Nurshad; Islam, Farjana

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.580057

Cited by 157 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Looking to the future, it is yet unknown whether other air particles, like fungal spores, or complex interactions with pollen, other meteorological variables, and air pollutants may also play a role. Even though there is published evidence on the effects of various environmental parameters, like nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), and ultraviolet radiation ( 37 – 41 ), these usually refer to preliminary results and investigation of only a single factor. If one takes into account the huge effect of ongoing climate change and urbanization on the long-term trends in airborne pollen levels ( 42 , 43 ), as well as emerging viral infections, it is of utmost importance to forecast the associated risk for human health in future pandemics and take appropriate measures to reduce it as much as possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe

Damialis

Gilles

Sofiev

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

108

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Pollen exposure weakens the immunity against certain seasonal respiratory viruses by diminishing the antiviral interferon response. Here we investigate whether the same applies to the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is sensitive to antiviral interferons, if infection waves coincide with high airborne pollen concentrations. Our original hypothesis was that more airborne pollen would lead to increases in infection rates. To examine this, we performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis on SARS-CoV-2 infection, airborne pollen, and meteorological factors. Our dataset is the most comprehensive, largest possible worldwide from 130 stations, across 31 countries and five continents. To explicitly investigate the effects of social contact, we additionally considered population density of each study area, as well as lockdown effects, in all possible combinations: without any lockdown, with mixed lockdown−no lockdown regime, and under complete lockdown. We found that airborne pollen, sometimes in synergy with humidity and temperature, explained, on average, 44% of the infection rate variability. Infection rates increased after higher pollen concentrations most frequently during the four previous days. Without lockdown, an increase of pollen abundance by 100 pollen/m3 resulted in a 4% average increase of infection rates. Lockdown halved infection rates under similar pollen concentrations. As there can be no preventive measures against airborne pollen exposure, we suggest wide dissemination of pollen−virus coexposure dire effect information to encourage high-risk individuals to wear particle filter masks during high springtime pollen concentrations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe

Damialis

Gilles

Sofiev

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

108

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“…Evidence pointing to a role for air pollutants in morbidity and mortality due to the novel pandemic coronavirus caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to emerge, although most reports still drawn from ecological study designs because detailed individual-level data are not yet available. [54][55][56] Among older adults in the USA, a nationwide study based on county-level COVID-19 death rates suggested that a 1 µg/m 3 higher PM 2.5 exposure was associated with an 11% increase in COVID-19 mortality. 57 In Europe, multiple studies have also provided preliminary indications of positive area-level associations between air pollution (PM 2.5 and NO 2 ) and COVID-19 severity, including a report associating an additional 1 µg/m 3 of PM 2.5 at the municipality-level with nine extra COVID-19 cases, three extra hospital admissions and one extra death.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambient air pollution and risk of respiratory infection among adults: evidence from the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA)

et al. 2021

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BackgroundAir pollution may affect the risk of respiratory infection, though research has focused on uncommon infections or infections in children. Whether ambient air pollutants increase the risk of common acute respiratory infections among adults is uncertain, yet this may help understand whether pollutants influence spread of pandemic respiratory infections like COVID-19.ObjectiveTo estimate the association between ambient air pollutant exposures and respiratory infections in adults.MethodsDuring five study examinations over 12 years, 6536 participants in the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA) reported upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia or febrile illness in the preceding 2 weeks. Using a validated spatiotemporal model, we estimated residential concentrations of ambient PM2.5, NOx and NO2 for the 2–6 weeks (short-term) and year (long-term) prior to each examination.ResultsIn this population aged 44–84 years at baseline, 10%–32% of participants reported a recent respiratory infection, depending on month of examination and study region. PM2.5, NOx and NO2 concentrations over the prior 2–6 weeks were associated with increased reporting of recent respiratory infection, with risk ratios (95% CIs) of 1.04 (1.00 to 1.09), 1.15 (1.10 to 1.20) and 1.21 (1.10 to 1.33), respectively, per increase from 25th to 75th percentile in residential pollutant concentration.ConclusionHigher short-term exposure to PM2.5 and traffic-related pollutants are associated with increased risk of symptomatic acute respiratory infections among adults. These findings may provide an insight into the epidemiology of COVID-19.

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“…This was a cross-sectional study involving 1397 participants, which included healthcare and non-healthcare hospital workers in eight hospitals in the Greater Jakarta Area ( Figure 1 ), the capital of Indonesia. The area was chosen for several considerations: (1) Jakarta has been one of the epicenters of COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia, which has had relatively high COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic [ 1 ], and (2) as a metropolitan city, Jakarta contains many risk factors for COVID-19 infection, such as poor air pollution [ 23 , 24 ] and severe overcrowding [ 25 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic and Behavioral Correlates of COVID-19 Infections among Hospital Workers in the Greater Jakarta Area, Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Bella

Akbar

Kusnadi

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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(1) Background: because of close contacts with COVID-19 patients, hospital workers are among the highest risk groups for infection. This study examined the socioeconomic and behavioral correlates of COVID-19 infection among hospital workers in Indonesia, the country hardest-hit by the disease in the Southeast Asia region. (2) Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study, which collected data from 1397 hospital staff from eight hospitals in the Greater Jakarta area during April–July 2020. The data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire and Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests. We employed descriptive statistics and adjusted and unadjusted logistic regressions to analyze the data of hospital workers as well as the subgroups of healthcare and non-healthcare workers. (3) Results: from a total of 1397 hospital staff in the study, 22 (1.6%) were infected. In terms of correlates, being a healthcare worker (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 8.31, 95% CI 1.27–54.54) and having a household size of more than five (AOR = 4.09, 1.02–16.43) were significantly associated with a higher risk of infection. On the other hand, those with middle- and upper-expenditure levels were shown to have a lower risk of infection (AOR = 0.06, 0.01–0.66). Behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 infection among healthcare and non-healthcare workers included knowledge of standard personal protective equipment (PPE) (AOR = 0.08, 0.01–0.54) and application of the six-step handwashing technique (AOR = 0.32, 0.12–0.83). (4) Conclusion: among hospital staff, correlates of COVID-19 infection included being a healthcare worker, household size, expenditure level, knowledge and use of PPE, and application of appropriate hand washing techniques.

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The Effects of Air Pollution on COVID-19 Infection and Mortality—A Review on Recent Evidence

Cited by 157 publications

References 52 publications

Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe

Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe

Ambient air pollution and risk of respiratory infection among adults: evidence from the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA)

Socioeconomic and Behavioral Correlates of COVID-19 Infections among Hospital Workers in the Greater Jakarta Area, Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

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