Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants

Viral respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, posing significant economic and health burdens. This review examines how air pollutants promote viral respiratory infections and influence disease outcomes. Papers published within the last 15 years regarding inte...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ya-Fang Chiu, Chih-Chen Kao, Chi-Yuan Chen, Chia-Ping Su, Chia-Hao Ma, Yamin Kyaw, Jeng-How Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325008516
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849390857365487616
author Ya-Fang Chiu
Chih-Chen Kao
Chi-Yuan Chen
Chia-Ping Su
Chia-Hao Ma
Yamin Kyaw
Jeng-How Yang
author_facet Ya-Fang Chiu
Chih-Chen Kao
Chi-Yuan Chen
Chia-Ping Su
Chia-Hao Ma
Yamin Kyaw
Jeng-How Yang
author_sort Ya-Fang Chiu
collection DOAJ
description Viral respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, posing significant economic and health burdens. This review examines how air pollutants promote viral respiratory infections and influence disease outcomes. Papers published within the last 15 years regarding interactions between air pollutants and respiratory viruses were systematically identified and reviewed. The current evidence shows that common air pollutants can aggravate viral respiratory infections, either by assisting the spread, entry, and penetration of respiratory viruses to facilitate infection, or by interfering with host immune responses to heighten the risk of worse outcomes after infection. Moreover, air pollutants are known to increase the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and asthma, which may weaken the effectiveness of the immune system against viral infections and increase the risks of excessive inflammation or cytokine storms. In addition, air pollutants can penetrate deep into the lower respiratory tract and various organs through the blood-air exchange system, leading to severe pulmonary and systemic adverse effects. In conclusion, air pollutants can affect a wide range of physiological aspects to exacerbate the impact of viral respiratory infections, and further research is critically needed to understand the underlying dynamics.
format Article
id doaj-art-83e0e619f21540918f7e64afe4c4a9d5
institution Kabale University
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-83e0e619f21540918f7e64afe4c4a9d52025-08-20T03:41:17ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-09-0130211850610.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118506Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutantsYa-Fang Chiu0Chih-Chen Kao1Chi-Yuan Chen2Chia-Ping Su3Chia-Hao Ma4Yamin Kyaw5Jeng-How Yang6Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, Taiwan; Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, Taiwan; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New Taipei Municipal Tucheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236017, Taiwan; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan; Correspondence to: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, 259, Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333323, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, TaiwanDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, TaiwanDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New Taipei Municipal Tucheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236017, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 333323, TaiwanDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New Taipei Municipal Tucheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236017, TaiwanViral respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, posing significant economic and health burdens. This review examines how air pollutants promote viral respiratory infections and influence disease outcomes. Papers published within the last 15 years regarding interactions between air pollutants and respiratory viruses were systematically identified and reviewed. The current evidence shows that common air pollutants can aggravate viral respiratory infections, either by assisting the spread, entry, and penetration of respiratory viruses to facilitate infection, or by interfering with host immune responses to heighten the risk of worse outcomes after infection. Moreover, air pollutants are known to increase the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and asthma, which may weaken the effectiveness of the immune system against viral infections and increase the risks of excessive inflammation or cytokine storms. In addition, air pollutants can penetrate deep into the lower respiratory tract and various organs through the blood-air exchange system, leading to severe pulmonary and systemic adverse effects. In conclusion, air pollutants can affect a wide range of physiological aspects to exacerbate the impact of viral respiratory infections, and further research is critically needed to understand the underlying dynamics.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325008516Air pollutantsViral respiratory infectionsAsthmaChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseObesityType 2 diabetes mellitus
spellingShingle Ya-Fang Chiu
Chih-Chen Kao
Chi-Yuan Chen
Chia-Ping Su
Chia-Hao Ma
Yamin Kyaw
Jeng-How Yang
Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Air pollutants
Viral respiratory infections
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
title Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
title_full Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
title_fullStr Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
title_full_unstemmed Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
title_short Enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
title_sort enhancement of respiratory virus infection by air pollutants
topic Air pollutants
Viral respiratory infections
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325008516
work_keys_str_mv AT yafangchiu enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT chihchenkao enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT chiyuanchen enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT chiapingsu enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT chiahaoma enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT yaminkyaw enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants
AT jenghowyang enhancementofrespiratoryvirusinfectionbyairpollutants