Many people view pollutants and pathogens as separate causes
of illness. However, recent research indicates that the two can interact,
changing how people and animals respond to infectious diseases. According to an
article in Chemical & Engineering
More than 20 years ago, researchers showed that exposing
mice to low levels of a dioxin called 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin made
them more susceptible to influenza virus. Since then, several studies have
suggested that other chemicals, such as perfluorooctanoic acid, mercury and
arsenic, can also alter animals' immune responses and decrease their resistance
to infectious diseases. And epidemiological studies in humans have linked
chemical exposure in the womb to a child's increased risk of infectious
disease. However, scientists are only now beginning to unravel how this
happens, Senior Editor Britt E. Erickson writes.
Compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
are widely used in household products, such as food packaging, nonstick products
and cleaners. Researchers have linked elevated concentrations of some PFAS in
mothers' blood to reduced responses to vaccinations and more illnesses in their
children. Similarly, arsenic exposure in the womb has been associated with
decreased levels of antibodies against diphtheria in vaccinated Bangladeshi
children. Evidence also suggests that some chemicals, such as zinc or lead, may
contribute to the rise of multidrug-resistant strains of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (known as MRSA). Such interactions are complex and will
require more interdisciplinary research in environmental health and infectious
disease, Erickson writes.
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