Jan 29, 2020
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/h4g91zw2wLw
Breathing in diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) can increase your chances of pneumococcal pneumonia. A study from Britain’s University of Liverpool shows that DEPs engorge and inactivate respiratory macrophages, the scavengers that protect our bodies from germs.
The researchers report that animals and tissue cultured cells are more susceptible to pneumococcal infection in the presence of DEP macrophages. Germs that normally live peacefully in the nasal passages become emboldened once the macrophage police are sidelined.
About 37% of the world’s population is exposed to excessive air pollution, and DEPs including carbon, ash, metallic particles, and sand are major contributors to the pollution. Protect yourself by avoiding these nasty diesels.
Rebecca K. Shears, Laura C. Jacques, Georgia Naylor, Lisa Miyashita, Shadia Khandaker, Filipa Lebre, Ed C. Lavelle, Jonathan Grigg, Neil French, Daniel R. Neill, Aras Kadioglu. Exposure to diesel exhaust particles increases susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal disease. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.11.039
#diesels #dieselexhaustparticles #deps #pneumonia #pneumococci #macrophages