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Gong Z, Song T, Hu M, Che Q, Guo J, Zhang H, Li H, Wang Y, Liu B, Shi N. Natural and socio-environmental factors in the transmission of COVID-19: a comprehensive analysis of epidemiology and mechanisms. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:2196. [PMID: 39138466 PMCID: PMC11321203 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19749-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There are significant differences in the transmission rate and mortality rate of COVID-19 under environmental conditions such as seasons and climates. However, the impact of environmental factors on the role of the COVID-19 pandemic and the transmission mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 is unclear. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of environmental factors on COVID-19 can provide innovative insights for global epidemic prevention and control policies and COVID-19 related research. This review summarizes the evidence of the impact of different natural and social environmental factors on the transmission of COVID-19 through a comprehensive analysis of epidemiology and mechanism research. This will provide innovative inspiration for global epidemic prevention and control policies and provide reference for similar infectious diseases that may emerge in the future. RECENT FINDINGS Evidence reveals mechanisms by which natural environmental factors influence the transmission of COVID-19, including (i) virus survival and transport, (ii) immune system damage, (iii) inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death, and (iiii) increasing risk of complications. All of these measures appear to be effective in controlling the spread or mortality of COVID-19: (1) reducing air pollution levels, (2) rational use of ozone disinfection and medical ozone therapy, (3) rational exposure to sunlight, (4) scientific ventilation and maintenance of indoor temperature and humidity, (5) control of population density, and (6) control of population movement. Our review indicates that with the continuous mutation of SARS-CoV-2, high temperature, high humidity, low air pollution levels, and low population density more likely to slow down the spread of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyuan Gong
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Tian Song
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Mingzhi Hu
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qianzi Che
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Jing Guo
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Haili Zhang
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Huizhen Li
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yanping Wang
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Bin Liu
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Nannan Shi
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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Yang S, Tong T, Wang H, Li Z, Wang M, Ni K. Causal relationship between air pollution and infections: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1409640. [PMID: 39148655 PMCID: PMC11324489 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1409640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Traditional observational studies exploring the association between air pollution and infections have been limited by small sample sizes and potential confounding factors. To address these limitations, we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential causal relationships between particulate matter (PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, and nitrogen oxide and the risks of infections. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to air pollution were selected from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of the UK Biobank. Publicly available summary data for infections were obtained from the FinnGen Biobank and the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) meta-analysis was used as the primary method for obtaining the Mendelian randomization (MR) estimates. Complementary analyses were performed using the weighted median method, MR-Egger method, and MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) test. Results The fixed-effect IVW estimate showed that PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and Nitrogen oxides were suggestively associated with COVID-19 [for PM2.5: IVW (fe): OR 3.573(1.218,5.288), PIVW(fe) = 0.021; for PM2.5-10: IVW (fe): OR 2.940(1.385,6.239), PIVW(fe) = 0.005; for Nitrogen oxides, IVW (fe): OR 1.898(1.318,2.472), PIVW(fe) = 0.010]. PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10, and Nitrogen oxides were suggestively associated with bacterial pneumonia [for PM2.5: IVW(fe): OR 1.720 (1.007, 2.937), PIVW(fe) = 0.047; for PM2.5-10: IVW(fe): OR 1.752 (1.111, 2.767), P IVW(fe) = 0.016; for PM10: IVW(fe): OR 2.097 (1.045, 4.208), PIVW(fe) = 0.037; for Nitrogen oxides, IVW(fe): OR 3.907 (1.209, 5.987), PIVW(fe) = 0.023]. Furthermore, Nitrogen dioxide was suggestively associated with the risk of acute upper respiratory infections, while all air pollution were not associated with intestinal infections. Conclusions Our results support a role of related air pollution in the Corona Virus Disease 2019, bacterial pneumonia and acute upper respiratory infections. More work is need for policy formulation to reduce the air pollution and the emission of toxic and of harmful gas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengyi Yang
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tong Tong
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhenwei Li
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kaiwen Ni
- Department of Infection Control, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Fu H, Zhu C. The impact of population influx on infectious diseases - from the mediating effect of polluted air transmission. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1344306. [PMID: 39139663 PMCID: PMC11319163 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1344306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The global population influx during the COVID-19 pandemic poses significant challenges to public health, making the prevention and control of infectious diseases a pressing concern. This paper aims to examine the impact of population influx on the spread of infectious diseases, with a specific emphasis on the mediating role of air pollution in this process. A theoretical analysis is conducted to explore the relationship between population influx, air pollution, and infectious diseases. Additionally, we establish a series of econometric models and employ various empirical tests and analytical techniques, including mediation effect test, threshold effect test, and systematic GMM test, to evaluate our hypotheses. The results indicate that: (1) Population influx directly and indirectly impacts infectious diseases. Specifically, population influx not only directly elevates the risk of infectious diseases, but also indirectly increases the incidence rate of infectious diseases by intensifying air pollution. (2) The impact of population inflow on infectious diseases exhibits regional heterogeneity. Compared to central and western China, the eastern regions exhibit a significantly higher risk of infectious diseases, exceeding the national average. (3) External factors influence the relationship between population influx and infectious diseases differently. Personal income and medical resources both help mitigate the risk of infectious diseases due to population influx, with medical resources having a more substantial effect. Contrary to expectations, abundant educational resources have not reduced the risk, instead, they have exacerbated the risk associated with population influx. This paper provides a scientific basis for formulating effective strategies for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Fu
- School of Transportation Management, Jiangxi Vocational and Technical College of Communications, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Chaoping Zhu
- School of Software, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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Yatera K, Nishida C. Contemporary Concise Review 2023: Environmental and occupational lung diseases. Respirology 2024; 29:574-587. [PMID: 38826078 DOI: 10.1111/resp.14761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Air pollutants have various effects on human health in environmental and occupational settings. Air pollutants can be a risk factor for incidence, exacerbation/aggravation and death due to various lung diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypersensitivity pneumonitis or pneumonia (HP), pulmonary fibrosis such as pneumoconiosis and malignant respiratory diseases such as lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma. Environmental and occupational respiratory diseases are crucial clinical and social issues worldwide, although the burden of respiratory disease due to environmental and occupational causes varies depending on country/region, demographic variables, geographical location, industrial structure and socioeconomic situation. The correct recognition of environmental and occupational lung diseases and taking appropriate measures are essential to their effective prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Yatera
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Chinatsu Nishida
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
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Musonye HA, He YS, Bekele MB, Jiang LQ, Fan Cao, Xu YQ, Gao ZX, Ge M, He T, Zhang P, Zhao CN, Chen C, Wang P, Pan HF. Exploring the association between ambient air pollution and COVID-19 risk: A comprehensive meta-analysis with meta-regression modelling. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32385. [PMID: 39183866 PMCID: PMC11341291 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Air pollution is speculated to increase the risk of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Nevertheless, the results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. This study aimed to explore the association between ambient air pollution (AAP) and COVID-19 risks using a meta-analysis with meta-regression modelling. Methods The inclusion criteria were: original studies quantifying the association using effect sizes and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs); time-series, cohort, ecological or case-crossover peer-reviewed studies in English. Exclusion criteria encompassed non-original studies, animal studies, and data with common errors. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar electronic databases were systemically searched for eligible literature, up to 31, March 2023. The risk of bias (ROB) was assessed following the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality parameters. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and their 95 % CIs. Results A total of 58 studies, between 2020 and 2023, met the inclusion criteria. The global representation was skewed, with major contributions from the USA (24.1 %) and China (22.4 %). The distribution included studies on short-term (43.1 %) and long-term (56.9 %) air pollution exposure. Ecological studies constituted 51.7 %, time-series-27.6 %, cohorts-17.2 %, and case crossover-3.4 %. ROB assessment showed low (86.2 %) and moderate (13.8 %) risk. The COVID-19 incidences increased with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 [RR = 4.9045; 95 % CI (4.1548-5.7895)], PM10 [RR = 2.9427: (2.2290-3.8850)], NO2 [RR = 3.2750: (3.1420-3.4136)], SO2 [RR = 3.3400: (2.7931-3.9940)], CO [RR = 2.6244: (2.5208-2.7322)] and O3 [RR = 2.4008: (2.1859-2.6368)] concentrations. A 10 μg/m3 increase in concentrations of PM2.5 [RR = 3.0418: (2.7344-3.3838)], PM10 [RR = 2.6202: (2.1602-3.1781)], NO2 [RR = 3.2226: (2.1411-4.8504)], CO [RR = 1.8021 (0.8045-4.0370)] and O3 [RR = 2.3270 (1.5906-3.4045)] was significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality. Stratified analysis showed that study design, exposure period, and country influenced exposure-response associations. Meta-regression model indicated significant predictors for air pollution-COVID-19 incidence associations. Conclusion The study, while robust, lacks causality demonstration and focuses only on the USA and China, limiting its generalizability. Regardless, the study provides a strong evidence base for air pollution-COVID-19-risks associations, offering valuable insights for intervention measures for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Asena Musonye
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Sheng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Merga Bayou Bekele
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Ling-Qiong Jiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Fan Cao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Qing Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zhao-Xing Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Man Ge
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Tian He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Chan-Na Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Cong Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Teaching Center for Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hai-Feng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation & Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University 678 Furong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
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García-García F, Lee DJ, Nieves-Ermecheo M, Bronte O, España PP, Quintana JM, Menéndez R, Torres A, Ruiz Iturriaga LA, Urrutia I. Obtaining patient phenotypes in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, and their association with clinical severity and mortality. Pneumonia (Nathan) 2024; 16:12. [PMID: 38915125 DOI: 10.1186/s41479-024-00132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There exists consistent empirical evidence in the literature pointing out ample heterogeneity in terms of the clinical evolution of patients with COVID-19. The identification of specific phenotypes underlying in the population might contribute towards a better understanding and characterization of the different courses of the disease. The aim of this study was to identify distinct clinical phenotypes among hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia using machine learning clustering, and to study their association with subsequent clinical outcomes as severity and mortality. METHODS Multicentric observational, prospective, longitudinal, cohort study conducted in four hospitals in Spain. We included adult patients admitted for in-hospital stay due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. We collected a broad spectrum of variables to describe exhaustively each case: patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, physiological status, baseline examinations (blood analytics, arterial gas test), etc. For the development and internal validation of the clustering/phenotype models, the dataset was split into training and test sets (50% each). We proposed a sequence of machine learning stages: feature scaling, missing data imputation, reduction of data dimensionality via Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA), and clustering with the k-means algorithm. The optimal cluster model parameters -including k, the number of phenotypes- were chosen automatically, by maximizing the average Silhouette score across the training set. RESULTS We enrolled 1548 patients, each of them characterized by 92 clinical attributes (d=109 features after variable encoding). Our clustering algorithm identified k=3 distinct phenotypes and 18 strongly informative variables: Phenotype A (788 cases [50.9% prevalence] - age ∼ 57, Charlson comorbidity ∼ 1, pneumonia CURB-65 score ∼ 0 to 1, respiratory rate at admission ∼ 18 min-1, FiO2 ∼ 21%, C-reactive protein CRP ∼ 49.5 mg/dL [median within cluster]); phenotype B (620 cases [40.0%] - age ∼ 75, Charlson ∼ 5, CURB-65 ∼ 1 to 2, respiration ∼ 20 min-1, FiO2 ∼ 21%, CRP ∼ 101.5 mg/dL); and phenotype C (140 cases [9.0%] - age ∼ 71, Charlson ∼ 4, CURB-65 ∼ 0 to 2, respiration ∼ 30 min-1, FiO2 ∼ 38%, CRP ∼ 152.3 mg/dL). Hypothesis testing provided solid statistical evidence supporting an interaction between phenotype and each clinical outcome: severity and mortality. By computing their corresponding odds ratios, a clear trend was found for higher frequencies of unfavourable evolution in phenotype C with respect to B, as well as more unfavourable in phenotype B than in A. CONCLUSION A compound unsupervised clustering technique (including a fully-automated optimization of its internal parameters) revealed the existence of three distinct groups of patients - phenotypes. In turn, these showed strong associations with the clinical severity in the progression of pneumonia, and with mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dae-Jin Lee
- School of Science & Technology, IE University, Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mónica Nieves-Ermecheo
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Basque Country, Spain
- Respiratory Service, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Galdakao, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Olaia Bronte
- Respiratory Service, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Galdakao, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Pedro Pablo España
- Respiratory Service, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Galdakao, Basque Country, Spain
| | - José María Quintana
- Research Unit, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Galdakao, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Rosario Menéndez
- Pneumology Department, La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain
| | - Antoni Torres
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Isabel Urrutia
- Respiratory Service, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Galdakao, Basque Country, Spain
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Ottinger MA, Grace JK, Maness TJ. Global challenges in aging: insights from comparative biology and one health. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2024; 6:1381178. [PMID: 38873623 PMCID: PMC11169734 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1381178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The well-being of wildlife populations, ecosystem health, and human health are interlinked, and preserving wildlife is crucial for sustaining healthy ecosystems. Wildlife numbers, and in particular avian populations, have steeply declined over the past century, associated with anthropogenic factors originating from industry, urbanization, changing land use, habitat loss, pollution, emerging diseases, and climate change. All these factors combine to exert increasing stress and impair health for both humans and wildlife, with diminished metabolic, immune, and reproductive function, deteriorating overall health, and reduced longevity. The "toxic aging coin" suggests that these stressors may have dual impacts on aging-they can accelerate the aging process, and older individuals may struggle to cope with pollutants compared to younger ones. These responses are reflected in the health and productivity of individuals, and at a larger scale, the health and ability of populations to withstand disturbances. To understand the potential risk to health over the lifespan, it is important to articulate some of these global challenges and consider both their impacts on aging populations and on the aging process. In this review, we use the toxic aging coin and One Health conceptual frameworks to examine the interconnected health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. This exploration aims to develop proactive approaches for optimizing wildlife and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Ottinger
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jacquelyn K. Grace
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Terri J. Maness
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, United States
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Bayram H, Konyalilar N, Elci MA, Rajabi H, Aksoy GT, Mortazavi D, Kayalar Ö, Dikensoy Ö, Taborda-Barata L, Viegi G. Issue 4 - Impact of air pollution on COVID-19 mortality and morbidity: An epidemiological and mechanistic review. Pulmonology 2024:S2531-0437(24)00051-5. [PMID: 38755091 DOI: 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Air pollution is a major global environment and health concern. Recent studies have suggested an association between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality and morbidity. In this context, a close association between increased levels of air pollutants such as particulate matter ≤2.5 to 10 µM, ozone and nitrogen dioxide and SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospital admissions and mortality due to COVID 19 has been reported. Air pollutants can make individuals more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection by inducing the expression of proteins such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)2 and transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) that are required for viral entry into the host cell, while causing impairment in the host defence system by damaging the epithelial barrier, muco-ciliary clearance, inhibiting the antiviral response and causing immune dysregulation. The aim of this review is to report the epidemiological evidence on impact of air pollutants on COVID 19 in an up-to-date manner, as well as to provide insights on in vivo and in vitro mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Bayram
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Koç University, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Nur Konyalilar
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Hadi Rajabi
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - G Tuşe Aksoy
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Deniz Mortazavi
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Özgecan Kayalar
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Öner Dikensoy
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Koç University, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Luis Taborda-Barata
- UBIAir - Clinical and Experimental Lung Centre UBIMedical, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
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Mousavi Aghdam M, Crowley Q. Application of GIS and spatiotemporal analyses in viral infection modelling using multiple datasets - A case study on the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. Semergen 2024; 50:102159. [PMID: 38157755 DOI: 10.1016/j.semerg.2023.102159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE Viral and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 continue to pose a significant public health threat. In order to create an early warning system for new pandemics or emerging versions of the virus, it is imperative to study its epidemiology. In this study, we created a geospatial model to predict the weekly contagion and lethality rates of COVID-19 in Ireland. METHODS More than forty parameters including atmospheric pollutants, metrological variables, sociodemographic factors, and lockdown phases were introduced as input variables to the model. The significant parameters in predicting the number of new cases and the death toll were identified. QGIS software was employed to process input data, and a principal component regression (PCR) model was developed using the statistical add-on XLSTAT. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The developed models were able to predict more than half of the variations in contagion and lethality rates. This indicates that the proposed model can serve to help prediction systems for the identification of future high-risk conditions. Nevertheless, there are additional parameters that could be included in future models, such as the number of deaths in care homes, the percentage of contagion and mortality among health workers, and the degree of compliance with social distancing.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mousavi Aghdam
- Department of Geology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Q Crowley
- Department of Geology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
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Myung H, Joung YS. Contribution of Particulates to Airborne Disease Transmission and Severity: A Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6846-6867. [PMID: 38568611 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has catalyzed great interest in the spread of airborne pathogens. Airborne infectious diseases are classified into viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Environmental factors can elevate their transmission and lethality. Air pollution has been reported as the leading environmental cause of disease and premature death worldwide. Notably, ambient particulates of various components and sizes are harmful pollutants. There are two prominent health effects of particles in the atmosphere: (1) particulate matter (PM) penetrates the respiratory tract and adversely affects health, such as heart and respiratory diseases; and (2) bioaerosols of particles act as a medium for the spread of pathogens in the air. Particulates contribute to the occurrence of infectious diseases by increasing vulnerability to infection through inhalation and spreading disease through interactions with airborne pathogens. Here, we focus on the synergistic effects of airborne particulates on infectious disease. We outline the concepts and characteristics of bioaerosols, from their generation to transformation and circulation on Earth. Considering that microorganisms coexist with other particulates as bioaerosols, we investigate studies examining respiratory infections associated with airborne PM. Furthermore, we discuss four factors (meteorological, biological, physical, and chemical) that may impact the influence of PM on the survival of contagious pathogens in the atmosphere. Our review highlights the significant role of particulates in supporting the transmission of infectious aerosols and emphasizes the need for further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunji Myung
- Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Sookmyung Women's University, 100, Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Soo Joung
- Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Sookmyung Women's University, 100, Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea
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Zhu J, Zhou Y, Lin Q, Wu K, Ma Y, Liu C, Liu N, Tu T, Liu Q. Causal relationship between particulate matter and COVID-19 risk: A mendelian randomization study. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27083. [PMID: 38439838 PMCID: PMC10909784 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Observational studies have linked exposure to fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particulate matter air pollution with adverse COVID-19 outcomes, including higher incidence and mortality. However, some studies questioned the effect of air pollution on COVID-19 susceptibility, raising questions about the causal nature of these associations. To address this, a less biased method like Mendelian randomization (MR) is utilized, which employs genetic variants as instrumental variables to infer causal relationships in observational data. Method We performed two-sample MR analysis using public genome-wide association studies data. Instrumental variables correlated with PM2.5 concentration, PM2.5 absorbance, PM2.5-10 concentration and PM10 concentration were identified. The inverse variance weighted (IVW), robust adjusted profile score (RAPS) and generalized summary data-based Mendelian randomization (GSMR) methods were used for analysis. Results IVW MR analysis showed PM2.5 concentration [odd ratio (OR) = 3.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48-7.35, P-value = 0.0036], PM2.5 absorbance (OR = 5.62, 95%CI 1.98-15.94, P-value = 0.0012), and PM10 concentration (OR = 3.74, 95%CI 1.52-9.20, P-value = 0.0041) increased the risk of COVID-19 severity after Bonferroni correction. Further validation confirmed PM2.5 absorbance was associated with heightened COVID-19 severity (OR = 6.05, 95%CI 1.99-18.38, P-value = 0.0015 for RAPS method; OR = 4.91, 95%CI 1.65-14.59, P-value = 0.0042 for GSMR method) and hospitalization (OR = 3.15, 95%CI 1.54-6.47, P-value = 0.0018 for RAPS method). No causal links were observed between particulate matter exposure and COVID-19 susceptibility. Conclusions Our study established a causal relationship between smaller particle pollution, specifically PM2.5, and increased risk of COVID-19 severity and hospitalization. These findings highlight the importance of improving air quality to mitigate respiratory disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Zhu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Qiuzhen Lin
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Keke Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Yingxu Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Chan Liu
- International Medical Department, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Tao Tu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Qiming Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
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Durán Del Amor MDM, Baeza Caracena A, Esquembre F, Llorens Pascual Del Riquelme M. New Methodology to Evaluate and Optimize Indoor Ventilation Based on Rapid Response Sensors. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:1657. [PMID: 38475193 DOI: 10.3390/s24051657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The recent pandemic increased attention to the need for appropriated ventilation and good air quality as efficient measures to achieve safe and healthy indoor air. This work provides a novel methodology for continuously evaluating ventilation in public areas using modern rapid response sensors (RRS). This methodology innovatively assesses the ventilation of a space by combining a quantitative estimation of the real air exchange in the space-obtained from CO2 experimental RRS measurements and the characteristics of and activity in the space-and indoor and outdoor RRS measurements of other pollutants, with healthy recommendations from different organisations. The methodology allows space managers to easily evaluate, in a continuous form, the appropriateness of their ventilation strategy, thanks to modern RRS measurements and direct calculations (implemented here in a web app), even in situations of full activity. The methodology improves on the existing standards, which imply the release of tracer gases and expert intervention, and could also be used to set a control system that measures continuously and adapts the ventilation to changes in indoor occupancy and activity, guaranteeing safe and healthy air in an energy-efficient way. Sample public concurrence spaces with different conditions are used to illustrate the methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Durán Del Amor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonia Baeza Caracena
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Esquembre
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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Yen CC, Hsiao PJ, Chu CM, Chen PL. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on air particulate matter exposure and heart attacks: a 5-year retrospective cohort study in Taiwan (2017-2021). Front Public Health 2024; 12:1321129. [PMID: 38476499 PMCID: PMC10927788 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1321129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Heart attacks including acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) caused from the particulate matter (PM) and air pollutant exposures are positively associated with regional air pollution severity and individual exposure. The exceptional coronavirus disease epidemic of 2019 (COVID-19) may enhance the air conditions in areas under COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on air particulate matter (PM) exposure and heart attacks in Taiwan. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted in one teaching hospital in Taichung, Taiwan. We examined emergency patients diagnosed with acute STEMI and ADHF from January 1, 2017, to March 31, 2020, (i.e., before the COVID-19 pandemic) and from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021, (after the COVID-19 pandemic). The effects of particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) and PM10 as well as temperature and humidity on environmental air pollutants were recorded. The analysis was performed with a unidirectional case-crossover research design and a conditional logistic regression model. Results Both PM2.5 and PM10 levels had a positive association with the risk of acute STEMI before the COVID-19 pandemic (PM2.5 adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.016, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.003-1.032 and PM10 adjusted OR: 1.009, 95% CI: 1.001-1.018) and ADHF (PM2.5 adjusted OR: 1.046, 95% CI: 1.034-1.067 and PM10 adjusted OR: 1.023, 95% CI: 1.027-1.047). Moreover, the results demonstrated that PM2.5 and PM10 were not associated with the risk of acute STEMI or ADHF after the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 levels after the COVID-19 pandemic were noted. Hospital admissions for acute STEMI (7.4 and 5.8/per month) and ADHF (9.7 and 8.2/per month) also decreased (21.6 and 15.5%) after the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion In Taiwan, paradoxical reductions in PM2.5 and PM10 levels during the COVID-19 pandemic may decrease the number of hospital admissions for acute STEMI and ADHF. As the COVID-19 pandemic eases, the condition of air pollution may gradually become worse again. The governments should formulate better policies to improve the health of the public and the quality of the air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Chien Yen
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Jen Hsiao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Ming Chu
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Ling Chen
- Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Rybarczyk Y, Zalakeviciute R, Ortiz-Prado E. Causal effect of air pollution and meteorology on the COVID-19 pandemic: A convergent cross mapping approach. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25134. [PMID: 38322928 PMCID: PMC10844283 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors have been suspected to influence the propagation and lethality of COVID-19 in the global population. However, most of the studies have been limited to correlation analyses and did not use specific methods to address the dynamic of the causal relationship between the virus and its external drivers. This work focuses on inferring and understanding the causal effect of critical air pollutants and meteorological parameters on COVID-19 by using an Empirical Dynamic Modeling approach called Convergent Cross Mapping. This technique allowed us to identify the time-delayed causation and the sign of interactions. Considering its remarkable urban environment and mortality rate during the pandemic, Quito, Ecuador, was chosen as a case study. Our results show that both urban air pollution and meteorology have a causal impact on COVID-19. Even if the strength and the sign of the causality vary over time, a general trend can be drawn. NO2, SO2, CO and PM2.5 have a positive causation for COVID-19 infections (ρ > 0.35 and ∂ > 9.1). Contrary to current knowledge, this study shows a rapid effect of pollution on COVID-19 cases (1 < lag days <24) and a negative impact of O3 on COVID-19-related deaths (ρ = 0.53 and ∂ = -0.3). Regarding the meteorology, temperature (ρ = 0.24 and ∂ = -0.4) and wind speed (ρ = 0.34 and ∂ = -3.9) tend to mitigate the epidemiological consequences of SARS-CoV-2, whereas relative humidity seems to increase the excess deaths (ρ = 0.4 and ∂ = 0.05). A causal network is proposed to synthesize the interactions between the studied variables and to provide a simple model to support the management of coronavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Rybarczyk
- School of Information and Engineering, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
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Vandelli V, Palandri L, Coratza P, Rizzi C, Ghinoi A, Righi E, Soldati M. Conditioning factors in the spreading of Covid-19 - Does geography matter? Heliyon 2024; 10:e25810. [PMID: 38356610 PMCID: PMC10865316 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
There is evidence in literature that the spread of COVID-19 can be influenced by various geographic factors, including territorial features, climate, population density, socioeconomic conditions, and mobility. The objective of the paper is to provide an updated literature review on geographical studies analysing the factors which influenced COVID-19 spreading. This literature review took into account not only the geographical aspects but also the COVID-19-related outcomes (infections and deaths) allowing to discern the potential influencing role of the geographic factors per type of outcome. A total of 112 scientific articles were selected, reviewed and categorized according to subject area, aim, country/region of study, considered geographic and COVID-19 variables, spatial and temporal units of analysis, methodologies, and main findings. Our literature review showed that territorial features may have played a role in determining the uneven geography of COVID-19; for instance, a certain agreement was found regarding the direct relationship between urbanization degree and COVID-19 infections. For what concerns climatic factors, temperature was the variable that correlated the best with COVID-19 infections. Together with climatic factors, socio-demographic ones were extensively taken into account. Most of the analysed studies agreed that population density and human mobility had a significant and direct relationship with COVID-19 infections and deaths. The analysis of the different approaches used to investigate the role of geographic factors in the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the significance/representativeness of the outputs is influenced by the scale considered due to the great spatial variability of geographic aspects. In fact, a more robust and significant association between geographic factors and COVID-19 was found by studies conducted at subnational or local scale rather than at country scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Vandelli
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Lucia Palandri
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Paola Coratza
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristiana Rizzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ghinoi
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Righi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Mauro Soldati
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
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Papadopoulos NG, Akdis CA, Akdis M, Damialis A, Esposito G, Fergadiotou I, Goroncy C, Guitton P, Gotua M, Erotokritou K, Jartti T, Murray C, Nenes A, Nikoletseas S, Finotto S, Pandis SN, Ramiconi V, Simpson A, Soudunsaari A, Stårbröst A, Staiano M, Varriale A, Xepapadaki P, Zuberbier T, Annesi-Maesano I. Addressing adverse synergies between chemical and biological pollutants at schools-The 'SynAir-G' hypothesis. Allergy 2024; 79:294-301. [PMID: 37654007 DOI: 10.1111/all.15857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
While the number and types of indoor air pollutants is rising, much is suspected but little is known about the impact of their potentially synergistic interactions, upon human health. Gases, particulate matter, organic compounds but also allergens and viruses, fall within the 'pollutant' definition. Distinct populations, such as children and allergy and asthma sufferers are highly susceptible, while a low socioeconomic background is a further susceptibility factor; however, no specific guidance is available. We spend most of our time indoors; for children, the school environment is of paramount importance and potentially amenable to intervention. The interactions between some pollutant classes have been studied. However, a lot is missing with respect to understanding interactions between specific pollutants of different classes in terms of concentrations, timing and sequence, to improve targeting and upgrade standards. SynAir-G is a European Commission-funded project aiming to reveal and quantify synergistic interactions between different pollutants affecting health, from mechanisms to real life, focusing on the school setting. It will develop a comprehensive and responsive multipollutant monitoring system, advance environmentally friendly interventions, and disseminate the generated knowledge to relevant stakeholders in accessible and actionable formats. The aim of this article it to put forward the SynAir-G hypothesis, and describe its background and objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos G Papadopoulos
- Division of Immunology, Immunity to Infection and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Allergy Department, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Cezmi A Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland, Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Mubeccel Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland, Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Athanasios Damialis
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | | | | | - Maia Gotua
- Center for Allergy and Immunology Research (CAIR), Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Tuomas Jartti
- PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Clare Murray
- Division of Immunology, Immunity to Infection and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Athanasios Nenes
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sotirios Nikoletseas
- Computer Engineering and Informatics Department, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Susetta Finotto
- Molecular Pneumology Department, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Spyros N Pandis
- Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (ICEHT), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Patras, Greece
| | - Valeria Ramiconi
- The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Association (EFA), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Angela Simpson
- Division of Immunology, Immunity to Infection and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | - Maria Staiano
- Institute of Food Science, CNR Italy, Avellino, Italy
| | - Antonio Varriale
- Institute of Food Science, CNR Italy, Avellino, Italy
- URT-ISA, CNR at Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Xepapadaki
- Allergy Department, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Torsten Zuberbier
- Institute of Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Allergology and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
- Global Allergy & Asthma European Network of Excellence-GA2LEN, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabella Annesi-Maesano
- Department of Allergic and Respiratory Disease, Institut Desbrest of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Montpellier and INSERM, Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France
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Cristaldi A, Oliveri Conti G, Pellitteri R, La Cognata V, Copat C, Pulvirenti E, Grasso A, Fiore M, Cavallaro S, Dell'Albani P, Ferrante M. In vitro exposure to PM 2.5 of olfactory Ensheathing cells and SH-SY5Y cells and possible association with neurodegenerative processes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 241:117575. [PMID: 37925127 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
PM2.5 exposure represents a risk factor for the public health. PM2.5 is able to cross the blood-alveolar and blood-brain barriers and reach the brain through three routes: nasal olfactory pathway, nose-brain pathway, blood-brain barrier pathway. We evaluated the effect of PM2.5 to induce cytotoxicity and reduced viability on in vitro cultures of OECs (Olfactory Ensheathing Cells) and SH-SY5Y cells. PM2.5 samples were collected in the metropolitan area of Catania, and the gravimetric determination of PM2.5, characterization of 10 trace elements and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were carried out for each sample. PM2.5 extracts were exposed to cultures of OECs and SH-SY5Y cells for 24-48-72 h, and the cell viability assay (MTT) was evaluated. Assessment of mitochondrial and cytoskeleton damage, and the assessment of apoptotic process were performed in the samples that showed lower cell viability. We have found an annual average value of PM2.5 = 16.9 μg/m3 and a maximum value of PM2.5 = 27.6 μg/m3 during the winter season. PM2.5 samples collected during the winter season also showed higher concentrations of PAHs and trace elements. The MTT assay showed a reduction in cell viability for both OECs (44%, 62%, 64%) and SH-SY5Y cells (16%, 17%, 28%) after 24-48-72 h of PM2.5 exposure. Furthermore, samples with lower cell viability showed a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, increased cytotoxicity, and also impaired cellular integrity and induction of the apoptotic process after increased expression of vimentin and caspase-3 activity, respectively. These events are involved in neurodegenerative processes and could be triggered not only by the concentration and time of exposure to PM2.5, but also by the presence of trace elements and PAHs on the PM2.5 substrate. The identification of more sensitive cell lines could be the key to understanding how exposure to PM2.5 can contribute to the onset of neurodegenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Cristaldi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy
| | - Gea Oliveri Conti
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy; NANOMED: Research Center in Nanomedicine and Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.
| | - Rosalia Pellitteri
- CNR-IRIB: National Research Council - Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Catania, Italy
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- CNR-IRIB: National Research Council - Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Catania, Italy.
| | - Chiara Copat
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy
| | - Eloise Pulvirenti
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy; Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Alfina Grasso
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Fiore
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- CNR-IRIB: National Research Council - Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Catania, Italy
| | - Paola Dell'Albani
- CNR-IRIB: National Research Council - Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Catania, Italy.
| | - Margherita Ferrante
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Italy; ISDE: International Society of Doctors for Environments - ISDE, Catania Section, Italy; NANOMED: Research Center in Nanomedicine and Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
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da Costa G, Pauliquevis T, Heise EFJ, Potgieter-Vermaak S, Godoi AFL, Yamamoto CI, Dos Santos-Silva JC, Godoi RHM. Spatialized PM 2.5 during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil's most populous southern city: implications for post-pandemic era. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:29. [PMID: 38225482 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01809-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Brazil has experienced one of the highest COVID-19 fatality rates globally. While numerous studies have explored the potential connection between air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and the exacerbation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the majority of this research has been conducted in foreign regions-Europe, the United States, and China-correlating generalized pollution levels with health-related scopes. In this study, our objective is to investigate the localized connection between exposure to air pollution exposure and its health implications within a specific Brazilian municipality, focusing on COVID-19 susceptibility. Our investigation involves assessing pollution levels through spatial interpolation of in situ PM2.5 measurements. A network of affordable sensors collected data across 9 regions in Curitiba, as well as its metropolitan counterpart, Araucaria. Our findings distinctly reveal a significant positive correlation (with r-values reaching up to 0.36, p-value < 0.01) between regions characterized by higher levels of pollution, particularly during the winter months (with r-values peaking at 0.40, p-value < 0.05), with both COVID-19 mortality and incidence rates. This correlation gains added significance due to the intricate interplay between urban atmospheric pollution and regional human development indices. Notably, heightened pollution aligns with industrial hubs and intensified vehicular activity. The spatial analysis performed in this study assumes a pivotal role by identifying priority regions that require targeted action post-COVID. By comprehending the localized dynamics between air pollution and its health repercussions, tailored strategies can be implemented to alleviate these effects and ensure the well-being of the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela da Costa
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Theotonio Pauliquevis
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Sanja Potgieter-Vermaak
- Ecology & Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carlos Itsuo Yamamoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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19
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Yu K, Zhang Q, Wei Y, Chen R, Kan H. Global association between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167542. [PMID: 37797765 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenge for global public health systems and exacerbates existing health disparities. Epidemiological evidence suggested a potential linkage between particulate and gaseous pollutants and COVID-19 mortality. We aimed to summarize the overall risk of COVID-19 mortality associated with ambient air pollutants over the short- and long-term. METHODS For the systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched five databases for studies evaluating the risk of COVID-19 mortality from exposure to air pollution. Inclusion of articles was assessed independently on the basis of research topic and availability of effect estimates. The risk estimates (relative risk) for each pollutant were pooled with a random-effect model. Potential heterogeneity was explored by subgroup analysis. Funnel plots and trim-and-fill methods were employed to assess and adjust for publication bias. FINDINGS The systematic review retrieved 2059 records, and finally included 43 original studies. PM2.5 (RR: 1.71, 95 % CI: 1.40-2.08, per 10 μg/m3 increase), NO2 (RR: 1.33, 1.07-1.65, per 10 ppb increase) and O3 (RR: 1.61, 1.00-2.57, per 10 ppb increase) were positively associated with COVID-19 mortality for long-term exposures. Accordingly, a higher risk of COVID-19 mortality was associated with PM2.5 (1.05, 1.02-1.08), PM10 (1.05, 1.01-1.08), and NO2 (1.40, 1.04-1.90) for short-term exposures. There was some heterogeneity across subgroups of income level and geographical areas. CONCLUSION Both long-term and short-term exposures to ambient air pollution may increase the risk of COVID-19 mortality. Future studies utilizing individual-level information on demographics, exposures, outcome ascertainment and confounders are warranted to improve the accuracy of estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Yu
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingli Zhang
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhao Wei
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Renjie Chen
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Haidong Kan
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Center for Children's Health, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Eichholtz P, Kok N, Sun X. The effect of post-COVID-19 ventilation measures on indoor air quality in primary schools. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgad429. [PMID: 38145248 PMCID: PMC10748476 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has made people acutely aware of the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and building ventilation systems, particularly in densely occupied places like offices and schools. As a result, governments and other public entities are increasingly investing in the installation, maintenance, and upgrades of ventilation systems in public buildings. However, little is known about the effect of building ventilation systems on actual IAQ and its impact on occupant behavior. This paper exploits exogenous closing and opening events of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with policy measures focusing on maximizing ventilation rates inside classrooms, to assess the effectiveness of building ventilation systems in primary schools. We use a unique sensor network implemented before the COVID-19 pandemic, consisting of measurement devices installed in 252 classrooms across 27 Dutch primary schools, continuously monitoring IAQ indicators such as CO2 levels and fine particle concentrations. Using high-frequency data from 2018 to 2022 school years, we compare the IAQ differences between natural and mechanical ventilation through a fixed-effect identification strategy. Our results show that mechanically ventilated classrooms perform better with respect to CO2 and fine particle levels. However, the post-COVID-19 ventilation measures implemented after school reopening had stronger effects on naturally ventilated (NV) classrooms, suggesting behavioral changes at the classroom level. We also investigate the longer term effects of these post-COVID-19 ventilation measures and show some evidence of decay in effectiveness, as well as a strong seasonal effect, particularly in NV classrooms, which seems the result of a trade-off between ventilation and thermal comfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piet Eichholtz
- School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nils Kok
- School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Xudong Sun
- School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands
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21
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Feng B, Lian J, Yu F, Zhang D, Chen W, Wang Q, Shen Y, Xie G, Wang R, Teng Y, Lou B, Zheng S, Yang Y, Chen Y. Impact of short-term ambient air pollution exposure on the risk of severe COVID-19. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 135:610-618. [PMID: 37778832 PMCID: PMC9550293 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Ecological studies suggested a link between air pollution and severe COVID-19 outcomes, while studies accounting for individual-level characteristics are limited. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the impact of short-term ambient air pollution exposure on disease severity among a cohort of 569 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to designated hospitals in Zhejiang province, China, from January 17 to March 3, 2020, and elucidate the possible biological processes involved using transcriptomics. Compared with mild cases, severe cases had higher proportion of medical conditions as well as unfavorable results in most of the laboratory tests, and manifested higher air pollution exposure levels. Higher exposure to air pollutants was associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19 with odds ratio (OR) of 1.89 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 3.53), 2.35 (95% CI: 1.20, 4.61), 2.87 (95% CI: 1.68, 4.91), and 2.01 (95% CI: 1.10, 3.69) for PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and CO, respectively. OR for NO2 remained significant in two-pollutant models after adjusting for other pollutants. Transcriptional analysis showed 884 differentially expressed genes which mainly were enriched in virus clearance related biological processes between patients with high and low NO2 exposure levels, indicating that compromised immune response might be a potential underlying mechanistic pathway. These findings highlight the impact of short-term air pollution exposure, particularly for NO2, on COVID-19 severity, and emphasize the significance in mitigating the COVID-19 burden of commitments to improve air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baihuan Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jiangshan Lian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Weizhen Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Yifei Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Guoliang Xie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ruonan Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Yun Teng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Bin Lou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Shufa Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China.
| | - Yida Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China.
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China; State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China.
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22
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Liu S, Ji S, Xu J, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Liu J, Lu D. Exploring spatiotemporal pattern in the association between short-term exposure to fine particulate matter and COVID-19 incidence in the continental United States: a Leroux-conditional-autoregression-based strategy. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1308775. [PMID: 38186711 PMCID: PMC10768722 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1308775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous studies have demonstrated that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is adversely associated with COVID-19 incidence. However, few studies have explored the spatiotemporal heterogeneity in this association, which is critical for developing cost-effective pollution-related policies for a specific location and epidemic stage, as well as, understanding the temporal change of association between PM2.5 and an emerging infectious disease like COVID-19. Methods The outcome was state-level daily COVID-19 cases in 49 native United States between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. The exposure variable was the moving average of PM2.5 with a lag range of 0-14 days. A latest proposed strategy was used to investigate the spatial distribution of PM2.5-COVID-19 association in state level. First, generalized additive models were independently constructed for each state to obtain the rough association estimations, which then were smoothed using a Leroux-prior-based conditional autoregression. Finally, a modified time-varying approach was used to analyze the temporal change of association and explore the potential causes spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Results In all states, a positive association between PM2.5 and COVID-19 incidence was observed. Nearly one-third of these states, mainly located in the northeastern and middle-northern United States, exhibited statistically significant. On average, a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration led to an increase in COVID-19 incidence by 0.92% (95%CI: 0.63-1.23%). A U-shaped temporal change of association was examined, with the strongest association occurring in the end of 2021 and the weakest association occurring in September 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021. Vaccination rate was identified as a significant cause for the association heterogeneity, with a stronger association occurring at a higher vaccination rate. Conclusion Short-term exposure to PM2.5 and COVID-19 incidence presented positive association in the United States, which exhibited a significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity with strong association in the eastern and middle regions and with a U-shaped temporal change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Liu
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuming Ji
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianjun Xu
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujing Zhang
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiahe Liu
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Donghao Lu
- Faculty of Art and Social Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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23
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Liu S, Luo J, Dai X, Ji S, Lu D. Using a time-varying LCAR-based strategy to investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of association between short-term exposure to particulate matter and COVID-19 incidence: a case study in the continental USA. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:115984-115993. [PMID: 37897578 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30621-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated that short-term exposure to particulate matter less than 10 μm (PM10) is positively associated with the COVID-19 incidence. However, no study has investigated the spatiotemporal pattern in this association, which plays important roles in identifying high-susceptibility regions and stages of epidemic. In this work, taking the 49 native states in America as an example, we used an advanced strategy to investigate this issue. First, time-series generalized additive model (GAM) were independently constructed to obtain the state-specific associations between short-term exposure to PM10 and the daily COVID-19 cases from 1 April 2020 to 31 December 2021. Then, a Leroux-prior-based conditional autoregression (LCAR) was used to spatially smoothen the associations. Third, the temporal variation of association and the reasons underlying the spatiotemporal heterogeneity were investigated by incorporating the time-varying GAM into LCAR. Results showed that PM10 was adversely associated with COVID-19 incidence in all the states. On average, a 10 μg/m3 increase of PM10 was associated with a 7.38% (95% CI 5.20-9.64%) increase in COVID-19 cases. A substantial spatial heterogeneity was observed, with strong associations in the middle and northeastern regions and weak associations in the western regions. The temporal trend of association presented a U shape, with the strongest association in the end of 2021. The vaccination rate was examined as a significant effect modifier. Our study provided the first evidence about the spatiotemporal pattern in PM10-COVID-19 associations and suggested that air pollution deserves more attention in the post-pandemic era and in the middle and northeastern regions in America for COVID-19 control and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Liu
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Jun Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Dai
- Department of Medical Administration, Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Shuming Ji
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610072, China
| | - Donghao Lu
- Faculty of Art and Social Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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24
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Gonçalves KDS, Cirino GG, da Costa MO, do Couto LDO, Tortelote GG, Hacon SDS. The potential impact of PM2.5 on the covid-19 crisis in the Brazilian Amazon region. Rev Saude Publica 2023; 57:67. [PMID: 37878853 PMCID: PMC10519675 DOI: 10.11606/s1518-8787.2023057005134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess covid-19 morbidity, mortality, and severity from 2020 to 2021 in five Brazilian Amazon states with the highest records of wildfires. METHODS A distributed lag non-linear model was applied to estimate the potential exposure risk association with particulate matter smaller than 2.5-µm in diameter (PM2.5). Daily mean temperature, relative humidity, percentual of community mobility, number of hospital beds, days of the week, and holidays were considered in the final models for controlling the confounding factors. RESULTS The states of Para, Mato Grosso, and Amazonas have reported the highest values of overall cases, deaths, and severe cases of covid-19. The worrying growth in the percentual rates in 2020/2021 for the incidence, severity, and mortality were highlighted in Rondônia and Mato Grosso. The growth in 2020/2021 in the estimations of PM2.5 concentrations was higher in Mato Grosso, with an increase of 24.4%, followed by Rondônia (14.9%). CONCLUSION This study establishes an association between wildfire-generated PM2.5 and increasing covid-19 incidence, mortality, and severity within the studied area. The findings showed that the risk of covid-19 morbidity and mortality is nearly two times higher among individuals exposed to high concentrations of PM2.5. The attributable fraction to PM2.5 in the studied area represents an important role in the risk associated with covid-19 in the Brazilian Amazon region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen dos Santos Gonçalves
- Barcelona Institute for Global HealthBiomedical Data Science TeamBarcelonaSpainBarcelona Institute for Global Health. Biomedical Data Science Team. Barcelona, Spain
- Fundação Oswaldo CruzEscola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio AroucaRio de JaneiroRJBrasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Glauber G. Cirino
- Universidade Federal do ParáInstituto de GeociênciasBelémPABrasil Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Geociências. Belém, PA, Brasil
| | | | - Lucas de Oliveira do Couto
- Fundação Oswaldo CruzEscola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio AroucaRio de JaneiroRJBrasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Giovane G. Tortelote
- Tulane UniversityDepartment of PediatricsNew OrleansUnited States Tulane University. Department of Pediatrics. New Orleans, United States
| | - Sandra de Souza Hacon
- Fundação Oswaldo CruzEscola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio AroucaRio de JaneiroRJBrasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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25
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Bronte O, García-García F, Lee DJ, Urrutia I, Uranga A, Nieves M, Martínez-Minaya J, Quintana JM, Arostegui I, Zalacain R, Ruiz-Iturriaga LA, Serrano L, Menéndez R, Méndez R, Torres A, Cilloniz C, España PP. Impact of outdoor air pollution on severity and mortality in COVID-19 pneumonia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 894:164877. [PMID: 37331396 PMCID: PMC10275649 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between exposure to air pollution and the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and other outcomes is poorly understood. Beyond age and comorbidity, risk factors for adverse outcomes including death have been poorly studied. The main objective of our study was to examine the relationship between exposure to outdoor air pollution and the risk of death in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia using individual-level data. The secondary objective was to investigate the impact of air pollutants on gas exchange and systemic inflammation in this disease. This cohort study included 1548 patients hospitalised for COVID-19 pneumonia between February and May 2020 in one of four hospitals. Local agencies supplied daily data on environmental air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO2, NO and NOX) and meteorological conditions (temperature and humidity) in the year before hospital admission (from January 2019 to December 2019). Daily exposure to pollution and meteorological conditions by individual postcode of residence was estimated using geospatial Bayesian generalised additive models. The influence of air pollution on pneumonia severity was studied using generalised additive models which included: age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, hospital, average income, air temperature and humidity, and exposure to each pollutant. Additionally, generalised additive models were generated for exploring the effect of air pollution on C-reactive protein (CRP) level and SpO2/FiO2 at admission. According to our results, both risk of COVID-19 death and CRP level increased significantly with median exposure to PM10, NO2, NO and NOX, while higher exposure to NO2, NO and NOX was associated with lower SpO2/FiO2 ratios. In conclusion, after controlling for socioeconomic, demographic and health-related variables, we found evidence of a significant positive relationship between air pollution and mortality in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 pneumonia. Additionally, inflammation (CRP) and gas exchange (SpO2/FiO2) in these patients were significantly related to exposure to air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Bronte
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Galdakao, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain.
| | | | - D-J Lee
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM), Bilbao, Spain
| | - I Urrutia
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Galdakao, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | - A Uranga
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Galdakao, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | - M Nieves
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Galdakao, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | | | - J M Quintana
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Research Unit, Galdakao, Spain
| | - I Arostegui
- University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Department of Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Operative Research, Leioa, Spain; Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM), Bilbao, Spain
| | - R Zalacain
- Cruces University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Baracaldo, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | - L A Ruiz-Iturriaga
- Cruces University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Baracaldo, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | - L Serrano
- Cruces University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Baracaldo, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
| | - R Menéndez
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe de Valencia, Pulmonology Department, Valencia, Spain
| | - R Méndez
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe de Valencia, Pulmonology Department, Valencia, Spain
| | - A Torres
- Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, Pulmonology Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Cilloniz
- Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, Pulmonology Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Health Sciences, Continental University, Huancayo, Peru
| | - P P España
- Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Pulmonology Department, Galdakao, Spain; BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Baracaldo, Spain
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26
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Zhang J, Wen J, Wan X, Luo P. The causal relationship between air pollution, obesity, and COVID-19 risk: a large-scale genetic correlation study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1221442. [PMID: 37867515 PMCID: PMC10585274 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1221442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Observational evidence reported that air pollution is a significant risk element for numerous health problems, such as obesity and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but their causal relationship is currently unknown. Our objective was to probe the causal relationship between air pollution, obesity, and COVID-19 and to explore whether obesity mediates this association. Methods We obtained instrumental variables strongly correlated to air pollutants [PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)], 9 obesity-related traits (abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue volume, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, hip circumference, waist circumference, obesity class 1-3, visceral adipose tissue volume), and COVID-19 phenotypes (susceptibility, hospitalization, severity) from public genome-wide association studies. We used clinical and genetic data from different public biological databases and performed analysis by two-sample and two-step Mendelian randomization. Results PM2.5 genetically correlated with 5 obesity-related traits, which obesity class 1 was most affected (beta = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.11 - 0.65, p = 6.31E-3). NO2 genetically correlated with 3 obesity-related traits, which obesity class 1 was also most affected (beta = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.055 - 0.61, p = 1.90E-2). NOx genetically correlated with 7 obesity-related traits, which obesity class 3 was most affected (beta = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.42-1.90, p = 2.10E-3). Almost all the obesity-related traits genetically increased the risks for COVID-19 phenotypes. Among them, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and obesity class 1 and 2 mediated the effects of air pollutants on COVID-19 risks (p < 0.05). However, no direct causal relationship was observed between air pollution and COVID-19. Conclusion Our study suggested that exposure to heavy air pollutants causally increased risks for obesity. Besides, obesity causally increased the risks for COVID-19 phenotypes. Attention needs to be paid to weight status for the population who suffer from heavy air pollution, as they are more likely to be susceptible and vulnerable to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Wan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Peng Luo
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Popescu IM, Baditoiu LM, Reddy SR, Nalla A, Popovici ED, Margan MM, Anghel M, Laitin SMD, Toma AO, Herlo A, Fericean RM, Baghina N, Anghel A. Environmental Factors Influencing the Dynamics and Evolution of COVID-19: A Systematic Review on the Study of Short-Term Ozone Exposure. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2670. [PMID: 37830707 PMCID: PMC10572520 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11192670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential influence of environmental factors, particularly air pollutants such as ozone (O3), on the dynamics and progression of COVID-19 remains a significant concern. This study aimed to systematically review and analyze the current body of literature to assess the impact of short-term ozone exposure on COVID-19 transmission dynamics and disease evolution. A rigorous systematic review was conducted in March 2023, covering studies from January 2020 to January 2023 found in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. We followed the PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO criteria, focusing exclusively on the effects of short-term ozone exposure on COVID-19. The literature search was restricted to English-language journal articles, with the inclusion and exclusion criteria strictly adhered to. Out of 4674 identified studies, 18 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, conducted across eight countries. The findings showed a varied association between short-term ozone exposure and COVID-19 incidence, severity, and mortality. Some studies reported a higher association between ozone exposure and incidence in institutional settings (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.13) compared to the general population (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.98-1.03). The present research identified a positive association between ozone exposure and both total and active COVID-19 cases as well as related deaths (coefficient for cases: 0.214; for recoveries: 0.216; for active cases: 0.467; for deaths: 0.215). Other studies also found positive associations between ozone levels and COVID-19 cases and deaths, while fewer reports identified a negative association between ozone exposure and COVID-19 incidence (coefficient: -0.187) and mortality (coefficient: -0.215). Conversely, some studies found no significant association between ozone exposure and COVID-19, suggesting a complex and potentially region-specific relationship. The relationship between short-term ozone exposure and COVID-19 dynamics is complex and multifaceted, indicating both positive and negative associations. These variations are possibly due to demographic and regional factors. Further research is necessary to bridge current knowledge gaps, especially considering the potential influence of short-term O3 exposure on COVID-19 outcomes and the broader implications on public health policy and preventive strategies during pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina-Maria Popescu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Epidemiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.-M.P.); (L.M.B.); (E.D.P.); (M.A.); (S.M.D.L.)
- Doctoral School, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Luminita Mirela Baditoiu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Epidemiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.-M.P.); (L.M.B.); (E.D.P.); (M.A.); (S.M.D.L.)
| | - Sandhya Rani Reddy
- Department of General Medicine, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagunur 505417, Telangana, India;
| | - Akhila Nalla
- Department of General Medicine, MNR Medical College, Sangareddy 502294, Telangana, India;
| | - Emilian Damian Popovici
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Epidemiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.-M.P.); (L.M.B.); (E.D.P.); (M.A.); (S.M.D.L.)
| | - Madalin-Marius Margan
- Department of Functional Sciences, Discipline of Public Health, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Mariana Anghel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Epidemiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.-M.P.); (L.M.B.); (E.D.P.); (M.A.); (S.M.D.L.)
| | - Sorina Maria Denisa Laitin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Epidemiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.-M.P.); (L.M.B.); (E.D.P.); (M.A.); (S.M.D.L.)
| | - Ana-Olivia Toma
- Department of Dermatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandra Herlo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Roxana Manuela Fericean
- Doctoral School, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Nina Baghina
- National Meteorological Administration of Romania, Soseaua Bucuresti-Ploiesti 97, 013686 Bucuresti, Romania;
| | - Andrei Anghel
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
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Marchetti S, Gualtieri M, Pozzer A, Lelieveld J, Saliu F, Hansell AL, Colombo A, Mantecca P. On fine particulate matter and COVID-19 spread and severity: An in vitro toxicological plausible mechanism. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 179:108131. [PMID: 37586275 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on global public health. The spread of the disease was related to the high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 virus but incidence and mortality rate suggested a possible relationship with environmental factors. Air pollution has been hypothesized to play a role in the transmission of the virus and the resulting severity of the disease. Here we report a plausible in vitro toxicological mode of action by which fine particulate matter (PM2.5) could promote a higher infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 and severity of COVID-19 disease. PM2.5 promotes a 1.5 fold over-expression of the angiotensin 2 converting enzyme (ACE2) which is exploited by viral particles to enter human lung alveolar cells (1.5 fold increase in RAB5 protein) and increases their inflammatory state (IL-8 and NF-kB protein expression). Our results provide a basis for further exploring the possible synergy between biological threats and air pollutants and ask for a deeper understanding of how air quality could influence new pandemics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Marchetti
- POLARIS Research Centre, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - M Gualtieri
- POLARIS Research Centre, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy.
| | - A Pozzer
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Atmospheric Chemistry Department, Mainz, Germany
| | - J Lelieveld
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Atmospheric Chemistry Department, Mainz, Germany
| | - F Saliu
- POLARIS Research Centre, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - A L Hansell
- Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability, University of Leicester, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Environmental Exposures and Health at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - A Colombo
- POLARIS Research Centre, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - P Mantecca
- POLARIS Research Centre, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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Li X, Abdullah LC, Sobri S, Syazarudin Md Said M, Aslina Hussain S, Poh Aun T, Hu J. Long-term spatiotemporal evolution and coordinated control of air pollutants in a typical mega-mountain city of Cheng-Yu region under the "dual carbon" goal. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2023; 73:649-678. [PMID: 37449903 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2232744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and impact mechanism of pollution is the prerequisite for megacities to formulate relevant air pollution prevention and control measures and achieve carbon neutrality goals. Chongqing is one of the dual-core key megacities in Cheng-Yu region and as a typical mountain-city in China, environmental problems are complex and sensitive. This research aims to investigate the exceeding standard levels and spatio-temporal evolution of criteria pollutants between 2014 and 2020. The results indicated that PM10, PM2.5, CO and SO2 were decreased significantly by 45.91%, 52.86%, 38.89% and 66.67%, respectively. Conversely, the concentration of pollutant O3 present a fluctuating growth and found a "seesaw" phenomenon between it and PM. Furthermore, PM and O3 are highest in winter and summer, respectively. SO2, NO2, CO, and PM showed a "U-shaped", and O3 showed an inverted "U-shaped" seasonal variation. PM and O3 concentrations are still far behind the WHO, 2021AQGs standards. Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed in air pollution distribution. These results are of great significance for Chongqing to achieve "double control and double reduction" of PM2.5 and O3 pollution, and formulate a regional carbon peaking roadmap under climate coordination. Besides, it can provide an important platform for exploring air pollution in typical terrain around the world and provide references for related epidemiological research.Implications: Chongqing is one of the dual-core key megacities in Cheng-Yu region and as a typical mountain city, environmental problems are complex and sensitive. Under the background of the "14th Five-Year Plan", the construction of the "Cheng-Yu Dual-City Economic Circle" and the "Dual-Carbon" goal, this article comprehensively discussed the annual and seasonal excess levels and spatiotemporal evolution of pollutants under the multiple policy and the newest international standards (WHO,2021AQG) backgrounds from 2014 to 2020 in Chongqing. Furthermore, suggestions and measures related to the collaborative management of pollutants were discussed. Finally, limitations and recommendations were also put forward.Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and impact mechanism of pollution is the prerequisite for cities to formulate relevant air pollution control measures and achieve carbon neutrality goals. This study is of great significance for Chongqing to achieve "double control and double reduction" of PM2.5 and O3 pollution, study and formulate a regional carbon peaking roadmap under climate coordination and an action plan for sustained improvement of air quality.In addition, this research can advanced our understanding of air pollution in complex terrain. Furthermore, it also promote the construction of the China national strategic Cheng-Yu economic circle and build a beautiful west. Moreover, it provides scientific insights for local policymakers to guide smart urban planning, industrial layout, energy structure, and transportation planning to improve air quality throughout the Cheng-Yu region. Finally, this is also conducive to future scientific research in other regions of China, and even megacities with complex terrain in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoju Li
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Department of Resource and Environment, Xichang University, Xichang City, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Luqman Chuah Abdullah
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Shafreeza Sobri
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Syazarudin Md Said
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Siti Aslina Hussain
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Tan Poh Aun
- SOx NOx Asia Sdn Bhd, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jinzhao Hu
- Department of Resource and Environment, Xichang University, Xichang City, Sichuan Province, China
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30
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Lu HC, Lin FY, Huang YH, Kao YT, Loh EW. Role of air pollutants in dengue fever incidence: evidence from two southern cities in Taiwan. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:596-604. [PMID: 36262027 PMCID: PMC10617642 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2135711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Air pollution may be involved in spreading dengue fever (DF) besides rainfalls and warmer temperatures. While particulate matter (PM), especially those with diameter of 10 μm (PM10) or 2.5 μm or less (PM25), and NO2 increase the risk of coronavirus 2 infection, their roles in triggering DF remain unclear. We explored if air pollution factors predict DF incidence in addition to the classic climate factors. Public databases and DF records of two southern cities in Taiwan were used in regression analyses. Month order, PM10 minimum, PM2.5 minimum, and precipitation days were retained in the enter mode model, and SO2 minimum, O3 maximum, and CO minimum were retained in the stepwise forward mode model in addition to month order, PM10 minimum, PM2.5 minimum, and precipitation days. While PM2.5 minimum showed a negative contribution to the monthly DF incidence, other variables showed the opposite effects. The sustain of month order, PM10 minimum, PM2.5 minimum, and precipitation days in both regression models confirms the role of classic climate factors and illustrates a potential biological role of the air pollutants in the life cycle of mosquito vectors and dengue virus and possibly human immune status. Future DF prevention should concern the contribution of air pollution besides the classic climate factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Chun Lu
- Department of Management Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Yu Lin
- Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Huei Huang
- Department of Information Management, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Tung Kao
- Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - El-Wui Loh
- Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Tapei, Taiwan
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31
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Woodward SM, Mork D, Wu X, Hou Z, Braun D, Dominici F. Combining aggregate and individual-level data to estimate individual-level associations between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0002178. [PMID: 37531330 PMCID: PMC10395946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Imposing stricter regulations for PM2.5 has the potential to mitigate damaging health and climate change effects. Recent evidence establishing a link between exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 outcomes is one of many arguments for the need to reduce the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5. However, many studies reporting a relationship between COVID-19 outcomes and PM2.5 have been criticized because they are based on ecological regression analyses, where area-level counts of COVID-19 outcomes are regressed on area-level exposure to air pollution and other covariates. It is well known that regression models solely based on area-level data are subject to ecological bias, i.e., they may provide a biased estimate of the association at the individual-level, due to within-area variability of the data. In this paper, we augment county-level COVID-19 mortality data with a nationally representative sample of individual-level covariate information from the American Community Survey along with high-resolution estimates of PM2.5 concentrations obtained from a validated model and aggregated to the census tract for the contiguous United States. We apply a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach to combine county-, census tract-, and individual-level data to ultimately draw inference about individual-level associations between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and mortality for COVID-19. By analyzing data prior to the Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccines we found that an increase of 1 μg/m3 in long-term PM2.5 exposure, averaged over the 17-year period 2000-2016, is associated with a 3.3% (95% credible interval, 2.8 to 3.8%) increase in an individual's odds of COVID-19 mortality. Code to reproduce our study is publicly available at https://github.com/NSAPH/PM_COVID_ecoinference. The results confirm previous evidence of an association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and COVID-19 mortality and strengthen the case for tighter regulations on harmful air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M. Woodward
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel Mork
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Zhewen Hou
- Department of Statistics, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Danielle Braun
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Francesca Dominici
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Jenkins GS, Freire SM, Ogunro T, Niang D, Andrade M, Drame MS, Huvi JB, Pires EES, Toure EN, Camara M. COVID-19 New Cases and Environmental Factors During Wet and Dry Seasons in West and Southern Africa. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2022GH000765. [PMID: 37519911 PMCID: PMC10383768 DOI: 10.1029/2022gh000765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa has been the last continent to experience a significant number of cases in the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Studies suggest that air pollution is related to COVID-19 mortality; poor air quality has been linked to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases, which are considered co-morbidities linked to COVID-19 deaths. We examine potential connections between country-wide COVID-19 cases and environmental conditions in Senegal, Cabo Verde, Nigeria, Cote D'Ivorie, and Angola. We analyze PM2.5 concentrations, temperatures from cost-effective in situ measurements, aerosol optical depth (AOD), and fire count and NO2 column values from space-borne platforms from 1 January 2020 through 31 March 2021. Our results show that the first COVID-19 wave in West Africa began during the wet season of 2020, followed by a second during the dry season of 2020. In Angola, the first wave starts during the biomass burning season but does not peak until November of 2020. Overall PM2.5 concentrations are the highest in Ibadan, Nigeria, and coincided with the second wave of COVID-19 in late 2021 and early 2022. The COVID-19 waves in Cabo Verde are not in phase with those in Senegal, Nigeria, and Cote, lagging by several months in general. Overall, the highest correlations occurred between weekly new COVID-19 cases meteorological and air quality variables occurred in the dry season.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. S. Jenkins
- Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Design with Africa (AESEDA)Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | | | | | - D. Niang
- Cheikh Anta Diop UniversityDakarSenegal
| | | | | | - J. B. Huvi
- Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação de Benguela ‐ AngolaBenguelaAngola
| | - E. E. S. Pires
- Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa do TundavalaEngineering DepartmentISPTundavalaLubangoAngola
| | - E. N. Toure
- University Felix Houphouet BiognyAbidjanCote D'Ivorie
| | - M. Camara
- University of Assane SeckZiguinchorSenegal
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Sangkham S, Islam MA, Sarndhong K, Vongruang P, Hasan MN, Tiwari A, Bhattacharya P. Effects of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and meteorological factors on the daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bangkok during 2020-2021, Thailand. CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2023; 8:100410. [PMID: 38620170 PMCID: PMC10286573 DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2023.100410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as COVID-19, has disrupted public health, businesses, and economies worldwide due to its widespread transmission. While previous research has suggested a possible link between environmental factors and increased COVID-19 cases, the evidence regarding this connection remains inconclusive. The purpose of this research is to determine whether or not there is a connection between the presence of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and meteorological conditions and COVID-19 infection rates in Bangkok, Thailand. The study employs a statistical method called Generalized Additive Model (GAM) to find a positive and non-linear association between RH, AH, and R and the number of verified COVID-19 cases. The impacts of the seasons (especially summer) and rainfall on the trajectory of COVID-19 cases were also highlighted, with an adjusted R-square of 0.852 and a deviance explained of 85.60%, both of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study results assist in preventing the future seasonal spread of COVID-19, and public health authorities may use these findings to make informed decisions and assess their policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarawut Sangkham
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
- Advanced Molecular Lab, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Kritsada Sarndhong
- Department of Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
| | - Patipat Vongruang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
- Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change Research Unit, School of Energy and Environment, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
| | - Mohammad Nayeem Hasan
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Ananda Tiwari
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE, 10044, Stockholm, Sweden
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34
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Torres-Anguiano E, Sánchez-López I, Garduno-Robles A, Rivas-Carrillo JD, Rivera-León EA, Sánchez-Enríquez S, Ornelas-Hernández LF, Zazueta León-Quintero F, Salazar León-Quintero EN, Juárez-López GE, Sánchez-Zubieta FA, Ochoa-Bru M, Zepeda-Moreno A. SARS-CoV-2: Air pollution highly correlated to the increase in mortality. The case of Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:445-457. [PMID: 37131453 PMCID: PMC10116164 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives To determine whether air pollution or changes in SARS-CoV-2 lineages lead to an increase in mortality. Methods Descriptive statistics were used to calculate rates of infection (2020-2021). RT-PCR was used to compare viral loads from October 2020 to February 2021. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) (n = 92) was used to examine and phylogenetically map SARS-CoV-2 lineages. A correlative "air pollution/temperature" index (I) was developed using regression analysis. PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO concentrations were analyzed and compared to the mortality. Results The mortality rate during the last year was ∼32%. Relative SARS-CoV-2 viral loads increased in December 2020 and January 2021. NGS revealed that approximately 80% of SARS-CoV-2 linages were B.1.243 (33.7%), B1.1.222 (11.2%), B.1.1 (9%), B.1 (7%), B.1.1.159 (7%), and B.1.2 (7%). Two periods were analyzed, the prehigh- and high-mortality periods and no significant lineage differences or new lineages were found. Positive correlations of air pollution/temperature index values with mortality were found for IPM2.5 and IPM10. INO2. ISO2, and ICO but not for O3. Using ICO, we developed a model to predict mortality with an estimated variation of ∼±5 deaths per day. Conclusion The mortality rate in the MZG was highly correlated with air pollution indices and not with SARS-CoV-2 lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Torres-Anguiano
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Itzel Sánchez-López
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Angeles Garduno-Robles
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Jorge David Rivas-Carrillo
- Departamento de Fisiología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Edgar Alfonso Rivera-León
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Sergio Sánchez-Enríquez
- Departamento de Clínicas, Centro Universitario de los Altos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico
| | | | - Fernando Zazueta León-Quintero
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | | | - Guillermo Enrique Juárez-López
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Fernando Antonio Sánchez-Zubieta
- Departamento de Clínicas Médicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Servicio de Hemato-Oncología Pediátrica, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara “Dr. Juan I. Menchaca”, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Mariana Ochoa-Bru
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Abraham Zepeda-Moreno
- Onkogenetik/Mexicana de Investigación y Biotectogía S.A. de C.V, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Investigación y Diagnóstico, Hospital San Javier, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Departamento de Clínicas Médicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
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AlMalki FA, Albukhaty S, Alyamani AA, Khalaf MN, Thomas S. The relevant information about the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using the five-question approach (when, where, what, why, and how) and its impact on the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:61430-61454. [PMID: 35175517 PMCID: PMC8852932 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18868-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is regarded as a threat because it spreads quickly across the world without requiring a passport or establishing an identity. This tiny virus has wreaked havoc on people's lives, killed people, and created psychological problems all over the world. The viral spike protein (S) significantly contributes to host cell entry, and mutations associated with it, particularly in the receptor-binding protein (RBD), either facilitate the escape of virus from neutralizing antibodies or enhance its transmission by increasing the affinity for cell entry receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The initial variants identified in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK have spread to various countries. On the other hand, new variants are being detected in India and the USA. The viral genome and proteome were applied for molecular detection techniques, and nanotechnology particles and materials were utilized in protection and prevention strategies. Consequently, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in extraordinary scientific community efforts to develop detection methods, diagnosis tools, and effective antiviral drugs and vaccines, where prevailing academic, governmental, and industrial institutions and organizations continue to engage themselves in large-scale screening of existing drugs, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, COVID-19 pointed on the possible solutions for the environmental pollution globe problem. Therefore, this review aims to address SARS-CoV-2, its transmission, where it can be found, why it is severe in some people, how it can be stopped, its diagnosis and detection techniques, and its relationship with the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faizah A AlMalki
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Salim Albukhaty
- Deptartment of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Misan, Maysan, 62001, Iraq
| | - Amal A Alyamani
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Moayad N Khalaf
- Deptartment of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
| | - Sabu Thomas
- Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686 560, India
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Marín-Palma D, Tabares-Guevara JH, Zapata-Cardona MI, Zapata-Builes W, Taborda N, Rugeles MT, Hernandez JC. PM10 promotes an inflammatory cytokine response that may impact SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1161135. [PMID: 37180105 PMCID: PMC10166799 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1161135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the last decades, a decrease in air quality has been observed, mainly associated with anthropogenic activities. Air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), have been associated with adverse effects on human health, such as exacerbation of respiratory diseases and infections. High levels of PM in the air have recently been associated with increased morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 in some regions of the world. Objective To evaluate the effect of coarse particulate matter (PM10) on the inflammatory response and viral replication triggered by SARS-CoV-2 using in vitro models. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors were treated with PM10 and subsequently exposed to SARS-CoV-2 (D614G strain, MOI 0.1). The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antiviral factors was quantified by qPCR and ELISA. In addition, using the A549 cell line, previously exposed to PM, the viral replication was evaluated by qPCR and plaque assay. Results SARS-CoV-2 stimulation increased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in PBMC, such as IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, but not antiviral factors. Likewise, PM10 induced significant production of IL-6 in PBMCs stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 and decreased the expression of OAS and PKR. Additionally, PM10 induces the release of IL-1β in PBMC exposed to SARS-CoV-2 as well as in a co-culture of epithelial cells and PBMCs. Finally, increased viral replication of SARS-CoV-2 was shown in response to PM10. Conclusion Exposure to coarse particulate matter increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, and may alter the expression of antiviral factors, which are relevant for the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. These results suggest that pre-exposure to air particulate matter could have a modest role in the higher production of cytokines and viral replication during COVID-19, which eventually could contribute to severe clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damariz Marín-Palma
- Infettare, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jorge H. Tabares-Guevara
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
| | - María I. Zapata-Cardona
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
| | - Wildeman Zapata-Builes
- Infettare, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
| | - Natalia Taborda
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas Uniremington, Programa de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Maria T. Rugeles
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan C. Hernandez
- Infettare, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín, Colombia
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Sánchez-de Prada L, Eiros-Bachiller JM, Tamayo-Velasco Á, Martín-Fernández M, Álvarez FJ, Giner-Baixauli C, Tamayo E, Resino S, Alvaro-Meca A. Environmental factors are associated to hospital outcomes in COVID-19 patients during lockdown and post-lockdown in 2020: A nationwide study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115904. [PMID: 37080281 PMCID: PMC10112945 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study analyzed, at a postcode detailed level, the relation-ship between short-term exposure to environmental factors and hospital ad-missions, in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, and ICU mortality due to COVID-19 during the lockdown and post-lockdown 2020 period in Spain. METHODS We performed a nationwide population-based retrospective study on 208,744 patients admitted to Spanish hospitals due to COVID-19 based on the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) during the first two waves of the pandemic in 2020. Environmental data were obtained from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. The association was assessed by a generalized additive model. RESULTS PM2.5 was the most critical environmental factor related to hospital admissions and hospital mortality due to COVID-19 during the lockdown in Spain, PM10, NO2, and SO2and also showed associations. The effect was considerably reduced during the post-lockdown period. ICU admissions in COVID-19 patients were mainly associated with PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2 during the lockdown as well. During the lockdown, exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 were the most critical environmental factors related to ICU mortality in COVID-19. CONCLUSION Short-term exposure to air pollutants impacts COVID-19 out-comes during the lockdown, especially PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2. These pollutants are associated with hospital admission, hospital mortality and ICU admission, while ICU mortality is mainly associated with PM2.5 and PM10. Our findings reveal the importance of monitoring air pollutants in respiratory infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sánchez-de Prada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain
| | | | - Álvaro Tamayo-Velasco
- Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain; Department of Haematology and Hemotherapy, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martín-Fernández
- Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - F Javier Álvarez
- Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Carlos Giner-Baixauli
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Faculty of Mathematics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Tamayo
- Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Biomedicine Group in Critical Care (BioCritic), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Unit of Viral Infection and Immunity, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Alvaro-Meca
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
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Sheppard N, Carroll M, Gao C, Lane T. Particulate matter air pollution and COVID-19 infection, severity, and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163272. [PMID: 37030371 PMCID: PMC10079587 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Ecological evidence links ambient particulate matter ≤2.5 mm (PM2.5) and the rate of COVID-19 infections, severity, and deaths. However, such studies are unable to account for individual-level differences in major confounders like socioeconomic status and often rely on imprecise measures of PM2.5. We conducted a systematic review of case-control and cohort studies, which rely on individual-level data, searching Medline, Embase, and the WHO COVID-19 database up to 30 June 2022. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results were pooled with a random effects meta-analysis, with Egger's regression, funnel plots, and leave-one-out/trim-and-fill sensitivity analyses to account for publication bias. N = 18 studies met inclusion criteria. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with 66 % (95 % CI: 1.31-2.11) greater odds of COVID-19 infection (N = 7) and 127 % (95 % CI: 1.41-3.66) odds of severe illness (hospitalisation, ICU admission, or requiring respiratory support) (N = 6). Pooled mortality results (N = 5) indicated increased deaths due to PM2.5 but were non-significant (OR 1.40; 0.94 to 2.10). Most studies were rated "good" quality (14/18 studies), though there were numerous methodological issues; few used individual-level data to adjust for socioeconomic status (4/18 studies), instead using area-based indicators (11/18 studies) or no such adjustments (3/18 studies). Most severity (9/10 studies) and mortality studies (5/6 studies) were based on people already diagnosed COVID-19, potentially introducing collider bias. There was evidence of publication bias in studies of infection (p = 0.012) but not severity (p = 0.132) or mortality (p = 0.100). While methodological limits and evidence of bias require cautious interpretation of the findings, we found compelling evidence that PM2.5 increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and severe disease, and weaker evidence of an increase in mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Sheppard
- Monash School of Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Carroll
- Monash Rural Health Churchill, Monash University, Churchill, VIC, Australia
| | - Caroline Gao
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Orygen, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Tyler Lane
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Bhaskar A, Chandra J, Hashemi H, Butler K, Bennett L, Cellini J, Braun D, Dominici F. A Literature Review of the Effects of Air Pollution on COVID-19 Health Outcomes Worldwide: Statistical Challenges and Data Visualization. Annu Rev Public Health 2023; 44:1-20. [PMID: 36542771 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-071521-120424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Several peer-reviewed papers and reviews have examined the relationship between exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 spread and severity. However, many of the existing reviews on this topic do not extensively present the statistical challenges associated with this field, do not provide comprehensive guidelines for future researchers, and review only the results of a relatively small number of papers. We reviewed 139 papers, 127 of which reported a statistically significant positive association between air pollution and adverse COVID-19 health outcomes. Here, we summarize the evidence, describe the statistical challenges, and make recommendations for future research. To summarize the 139 papers with data from geographical locations around the world, we also present anopen-source data visualization tool that summarizes these studies and allows the research community to contribute evidence as new research papers are published.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bhaskar
- Department of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - J Chandra
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - H Hashemi
- Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California, USA
| | - K Butler
- Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California, USA
| | - L Bennett
- Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California, USA
| | - Jacqueline Cellini
- Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Danielle Braun
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Francesca Dominici
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
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Balboni E, Filippini T, Rothman KJ, Costanzini S, Bellino S, Pezzotti P, Brusaferro S, Ferrari F, Orsini N, Teggi S, Vinceti M. The influence of meteorological factors on COVID-19 spread in Italy during the first and second wave. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115796. [PMID: 37019296 PMCID: PMC10069087 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The relation between meteorological factors and COVID-19 spread remains uncertain, particularly with regard to the role of temperature, relative humidity and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To assess this relation, we investigated disease spread within Italy during 2020. The pandemic had a large and early impact in Italy, and during 2020 the effects of vaccination and viral variants had not yet complicated the dynamics. We used non-linear, spline-based Poisson regression of modeled temperature, UV and relative humidity, adjusting for mobility patterns and additional confounders, to estimate daily rates of COVID-19 new cases, hospital and intensive care unit admissions, and deaths during the two waves of the pandemic in Italy during 2020. We found little association between relative humidity and COVID-19 endpoints in both waves, whereas UV radiation above 40 kJ/m2 showed a weak inverse association with hospital and ICU admissions in the first wave, and a stronger relation with all COVID-19 endpoints in the second wave. Temperature above 283 K (10 °C/50 °F) showed a strong non-linear negative relation with COVID-19 endpoints, with inconsistent relations below this cutpoint in the two waves. Given the biological plausibility of a relation between temperature and COVID-19, these data add support to the proposition that temperature above 283 K, and possibly high levels of solar UV radiation, reduced COVID-19 spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Balboni
- Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center (CREAGEN), Section of Public Health, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Health Physics Unit, Modena Policlinico University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Filippini
- Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center (CREAGEN), Section of Public Health, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sofia Costanzini
- Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari', University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Stefania Bellino
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Pezzotti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvio Brusaferro
- Presidency, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Orsini
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergio Teggi
- Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari', University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Vinceti
- Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center (CREAGEN), Section of Public Health, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Urso P, Cattaneo A, Pulvirenti S, Vercelli F, Cavallo DM, Carrer P. Early-phase pandemic in Italy: Covid-19 spread determinant factors. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15358. [PMID: 37041936 PMCID: PMC10079324 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, the environmental factors beyond virus transmission are only partially known. This statistical study has the aim to identify the key factors that have affected the virus spread during the early phase of pandemic in Italy, among a wide set of potential determinants concerning demographics, environmental pollution and climate. Because of its heterogeneity in pollution levels and climate conditions, Italy provides an ideal scenario for an ecological study. Moreover, the selected period excludes important confounding factors, as different virus variants, restriction policies or vaccines. The short-term relationship between the infection maximum increase and demographic, pollution and meteo-climatic parameters was investigated, including both winter-spring and summer 2020 data, also focusing separately on the two seasonal periods and on North vs Centre-South. Among main results, the importance of population size confirmed social distancing as a key management option. The pollution hazardous role undoubtedly emerged, as NO2 affected infection increase in all the studied scenarios, PM2.5 manifested its impact in North of Italy, while O3 always showed a protective action. Whereas higher temperatures were beneficial, especially in the cold season with also wind and relative humidity, solar irradiance was always relevant, revealing several significant interactions with other co-factors. Presented findings address the importance of the environment in Sars-CoV-2 spread and indicated that special carefulness should be taken in crowded areas, especially if they are highly polluted and weakly exposed to sun. The results suggest that containment of future epidemics similar to Covid-19 could be supported by reducing environmental pollution, achieving safer social habits and promoting preventive health care for better immune system response, as an only comprehensive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Urso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milano, Italy
- Department of Radiotherapy, Clinica Luganese Moncucco SA, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pulvirenti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Franco Vercelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Carrer
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milano, Italy
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Collivignarelli MC, Bellazzi S, Caccamo FM, Carnevale Miino M. Discussion about the Latest Findings on the Possible Relation between Air Particulate Matter and COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20065132. [PMID: 36982044 PMCID: PMC10049697 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20065132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Since SARS-CoV-2 was identified, the scientific community has tried to understand the variables that can influence its spread. Several studies have already highlighted a possible link between particulate matter (PM) and COVID-19. This work is a brief discussion about the latest findings on this topic, highlighting the gaps in the current results and possible tips for future studies. Based on the literature outcomes, PM is suspected to play a double role in COVID-19: a chronic and an acute one. The chronic role is related to the possible influence of long-term and short-term exposure to high concentrations of PM in developing severe forms of COVID-19, including death. The acute role is linked to the possible carrier function of PM in SARS-CoV-2. The scientific community seems sure that the inflammatory effect on the respiratory system of short-term exposure to a high concentration of PM, and other additional negative effects on human health in cases of longer exposure, increases the risk of developing a more severe form of COVID-19 in cases of contagion. On the contrary, the results regarding PM acting as a carrier of SARS-CoV-2 are more conflicting, especially regarding the possible inactivation of the virus in the environment, and no final explanation on the possible acute role of PM in the spread of COVID-19 can be inferred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Collivignarelli
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for Water Research, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.C.C.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Stefano Bellazzi
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Maria Caccamo
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Carnevale Miino
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.C.C.); (M.C.M.)
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Ulutaş K, Abujayyab SK, Abu Amr SS, Alkarkhi AF, Duman S. The effect of air quality parameters on new COVID-19 cases between two different climatic and geographical regions in Turkey. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY 2023; 152:801-812. [PMID: 37016660 PMCID: PMC9999067 DOI: 10.1007/s00704-023-04420-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Different health management strategies may need to be implemented in different regions to cope with diseases. The current work aims to evaluate the relationship between air quality parameters and the number of new COVID-19 cases in two different geographical locations, namely Western Anatolia and Western Black Sea in Turkey. Principal component analysis (PCA) and regression model were utilized to describe the effect of environmental parameters (air quality and meteorological parameters) on the number of new COVID-19 cases. A big difference in the mean values for all air quality parameters has appeared between the two areas. Two regression models were developed and showed a significant relationship between the number of new cases and the selected environmental parameters. The results showed that wind speed, SO2, CO, NOX, and O3 are not influential variable and does not affect the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the Western Black Sea area, while only wind speed, SO2, CO, NOX, and O3 are influential parameters on the number of new cases in Western Anatolia. Although the environmental parameters behave differently in each region, these results revealed that the relationship between the air quality parameters and the number of new cases is significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadir Ulutaş
- Department of Health Management, İstanbul Medeniyet University, 34720 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Karabük University, 78050 Karabuk, Turkey
| | - Sohaib K.M. Abujayyab
- International College of Engineering and Management, 111 St, Seeb, Muscat, Oman
- Department of Geography, Karabük University, 78050 Karabuk, Turkey
| | - Salem S. Abu Amr
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Karabük University, 78050 Karabuk, Turkey
- International College of Engineering and Management, 111 St, Seeb, Muscat, Oman
| | - Abbas F.M. Alkarkhi
- Business School, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL Bis), 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sibel Duman
- Department of Chemistry, Bingöl University, 12000 Bingol, Turkey
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Escudero-Pérez B, Lalande A, Mathieu C, Lawrence P. Host–Pathogen Interactions Influencing Zoonotic Spillover Potential and Transmission in Humans. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030599. [PMID: 36992308 PMCID: PMC10060007 DOI: 10.3390/v15030599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin are an ever-increasing public health risk and economic burden. The factors that determine if and when an animal virus is able to spill over into the human population with sufficient success to achieve ongoing transmission in humans are complex and dynamic. We are currently unable to fully predict which pathogens may appear in humans, where and with what impact. In this review, we highlight current knowledge of the key host–pathogen interactions known to influence zoonotic spillover potential and transmission in humans, with a particular focus on two important human viruses of zoonotic origin, the Nipah virus and the Ebola virus. Namely, key factors determining spillover potential include cellular and tissue tropism, as well as the virulence and pathogenic characteristics of the pathogen and the capacity of the pathogen to adapt and evolve within a novel host environment. We also detail our emerging understanding of the importance of steric hindrance of host cell factors by viral proteins using a “flytrap”-type mechanism of protein amyloidogenesis that could be crucial in developing future antiviral therapies against emerging pathogens. Finally, we discuss strategies to prepare for and to reduce the frequency of zoonotic spillover occurrences in order to minimize the risk of new outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Escudero-Pérez
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel-Reims, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alexandre Lalande
- CIRI (Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie), Team Neuro-Invasion, TROpism and VIRal Encephalitis, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Cyrille Mathieu
- CIRI (Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie), Team Neuro-Invasion, TROpism and VIRal Encephalitis, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Philip Lawrence
- CONFLUENCE: Sciences et Humanités (EA 1598), Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy), 69002 Lyon, France
- Correspondence:
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Podury S, Kwon S, Javed U, Farooqi MS, Li Y, Liu M, Grunig G, Nolan A. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Particulate Matter Exposure: A Systematic Review. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:538. [PMID: 36836898 PMCID: PMC9962044 DOI: 10.3390/life13020538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Particulate matter (PM) exposure is responsible for seven million deaths annually and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of respiratory infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Understanding modifiable risk factors of high mortality, resource burdensome C19 and exposure risks such as PM is key to mitigating their devastating effects. This systematic review focuses on the literature available, identifying the spatial and temporal variation in the role of quantified PM exposure in SARS disease outcome and planning our future experimental studies. METHODS The systematic review utilized keywords adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. We included original human research studies in English. RESULTS Initial search yielded N = 906, application of eligibility criteria yielded N = 46. Upon analysis of risk of bias N = 41 demonstrated high risk. Studies found a positive association between elevated PM2.5, PM10 and SARS-related outcomes. A geographic and temporal variation in both PM and C19's role was observed. CONCLUSION C19 is a high mortality and resource intensive disease which devastated the globe. PM exposure is also a global health crisis. Our systematic review focuses on the intersection of this impactful disease-exposure dyad and understanding the role of PM is important in the development of interventions to prevent future spread of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjiti Podury
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Sophia Kwon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Urooj Javed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Muhammad S. Farooqi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Yiwei Li
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.L.); (M.L.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Gabriele Grunig
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Anna Nolan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
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Han J, Yin J, Wu X, Wang D, Li C. Environment and COVID-19 incidence: A critical review. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 124:933-951. [PMID: 36182196 PMCID: PMC8858699 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented worldwide health crisis. Many previous research studies have found and investigated its links with one or some natural or human environmental factors. However, a review on the relationship between COVID-19 incidence and both the natural and human environment is still lacking. This review summarizes the inter-correlation between COVID-19 incidence and environmental factors. Based on keyword searching, we reviewed 100 relevant peer-reviewed articles and other research literature published since January 2020. This review is focused on three main findings. One, we found that individual environmental factors have impacts on COVID-19 incidence, but with spatial heterogeneity and uncertainty. Two, environmental factors exert interactive effects on COVID-19 incidence. In particular, the interactions of natural factors can affect COVID-19 transmission in micro- and macro- ways by impacting SARS-CoV-2 survival, as well as human mobility and behaviors. Three, the impact of COVID-19 incidence on the environment lies in the fact that COVID-19-induced lockdowns caused air quality improvement, wildlife shifts and socio-economic depression. The additional value of this review is that we recommend future research perspectives and adaptation strategies regarding the interactions of the environment and COVID-19. Future research should be extended to cover both the effects of the environment on the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19-induced impacts on the environment. Future adaptation strategies should focus on sustainable environmental and public policy responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiatong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jie Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaoxu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Danyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Chenlu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Naqvi HR, Mutreja G, Shakeel A, Singh K, Abbas K, Naqvi DF, Chaudhary AA, Siddiqui MA, Gautam AS, Gautam S, Naqvi AR. Wildfire-induced pollution and its short-term impact on COVID-19 cases and mortality in California. GONDWANA RESEARCH : INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCE JOURNAL 2023; 114:30-39. [PMID: 35529075 PMCID: PMC9066963 DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Globally, wildfires have seen remarkable increase in duration and size and have become a health hazard. In addition to vegetation and habitat destruction, rapid release of smoke, dust and gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere contributes to its short and long-term detrimental effects. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as a public health concern worldwide that primarily target lungs and respiratory tract, akin to air pollutants. Studies from our lab and others have demonstrated association between air pollution and COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. However, current knowledge on the impact of wildfire-mediated sudden outburst of air pollutants on COVID-19 is limited. In this study, we examined the association of air pollutants and COVID-19 during wildfires burned during August-October 2020 in California, United States. We observed an increase in the tropospheric pollutants including aerosols (particulate matter [PM]), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by approximately 150%, 100% and 20%, respectively, in 2020 compared to the 2019. Except ozone (O3), similar proportion of increment was noticed during the peak wildfire period (August 16 - September 15, 2020) in the ground PM2.5, CO, and NO2 levels at Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, cities with largest active wildfire area. We identified three different spikes in the concentrations of PM2.5, and CO for the cities examined clearly suggesting wildfire-induced surge in air pollution. Fresno and Sacramento showed increment in the ground PM2.5, CO and NO2 levels, while San Diego recorded highest change rate in NO2 levels. Interestingly, we observed a similar pattern of higher COVID-19 cases and mortalities in the cities with adverse air pollution caused by wildfires. These findings provide a logical rationale to strategize public health policies for future impact of COVID-19 on humans residing in geographic locations susceptible to sudden increase in local air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Raja Naqvi
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Guneet Mutreja
- Environmental Systems Research Institute, R & D Center, New Delhi, India
| | - Adnan Shakeel
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Karan Singh
- Department of Physics, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Kumail Abbas
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut 250005, India
| | | | - Anis Ahmad Chaudhary
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 13317-7544, Saudi Arabia
| | - Masood Ahsan Siddiqui
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Alok Sagar Gautam
- Department of Physics, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sneha Gautam
- Department of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641114, India
| | - Afsar Raza Naqvi
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Beloconi A, Vounatsou P. Long-term air pollution exposure and COVID-19 case-severity: An analysis of individual-level data from Switzerland. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114481. [PMID: 36206929 PMCID: PMC9531360 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Several studies are pointing out that exposure to elevated air pollutants could contribute to increased COVID-19 mortality. However, literature on the associations between air pollution exposure and COVID-19 severe morbidity is rather sparse. In addition, the majority of the studies used an ecological study design and were applied in regions with rather high air pollution levels. Here, we study the differential effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on severe morbidity and mortality risks from COVID-19 in various population subgroups in Switzerland, a country known for clean air. We perform individual-level analyses using data covering the first two major waves of COVID-19 between February 2020 and May 2021. High-resolution maps of particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations were produced for the 6 years preceding the pandemic using Bayesian geostatistical models. Air pollution exposure for each patient was measured by the long-term average concentration across the municipality of residence. The models were adjusted for the effects of individual characteristics, socio-economic, health-system, and climatic factors. The variables with an important association to COVID-19 case-severity were identified using Bayesian spatial variable selection. The results have shown that the individual-level characteristics are important factors related to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in all the models. Long-term exposure to air pollution appears to influence the severity of the disease only when analyzing data during the first wave; this effect is attenuated upon adjustment for health-system related factors during the entire study period. Our findings suggest that the burden of air pollution increased the risks of COVID-19 in Switzerland during the first wave of the pandemic, but not during the second wave, when the national health system was better prepared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Beloconi
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Penelope Vounatsou
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Alaniz AJ, Carvajal MA, Carvajal JG, Vergara PM. Effects of air pollution and weather on the initial COVID-19 outbreaks in United States, Italy, Spain, and China: A comparative study. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023; 43:8-18. [PMID: 36509703 PMCID: PMC9877606 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Contrasting effects have been identified in association of weather (temperature and humidity) and pollutant gases with COVID-19 infection, which could be derived from the influence of lockdowns and season change. The influence of pollutant gases and climate during the initial phases of the pandemic, before the closures and the change of season in the northern hemisphere, is unknown. Here, we used a spatial-temporal Bayesian zero-inflated-Poisson model to test for short-term associations of weather and pollutant gases with the relative risk of COVID-19 disease in China (first outbreak) and the countries with more cases during the initial pandemic (the United States, Spain and Italy), considering also the effects of season and lockdown. We found contrasting association between pollutant gases and COVID-19 risk in the United States, Italy, and Spain, while in China it was negatively associated (except for SO2 ). COVID-19 risk was positively associated with specific humidity in all countries, while temperature presented a negative effect. Our findings showed that short-term associations of air pollutants with COVID-19 infection vary strongly between countries, while generalized effects of temperature (negative) and humidity (positive) with COVID-19 was found. Our results show novel information about the influence of pollution and weather on the initial outbreaks, which contribute to unravel the mechanisms during the beginning of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J. Alaniz
- Departamento de Ingeniería Geoespacial y Ambiental, Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
- Facultad de Ciencias BiológicasPontificia Universidad Católica de ChileSantiagoChile
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad TecnológicaUniversidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
- Centro de Estudios en Ecología Espacial y Medio AmbienteEcogeografíaSantiagoChile
| | - Mario A. Carvajal
- Facultad de Ciencias BiológicasPontificia Universidad Católica de ChileSantiagoChile
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad TecnológicaUniversidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Jorge G. Carvajal
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad TecnológicaUniversidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
- Centro de Estudios en Ecología Espacial y Medio AmbienteEcogeografíaSantiagoChile
| | - Pablo M. Vergara
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad TecnológicaUniversidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
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50
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Zheng HL, An SY, Qiao BJ, Guan P, Huang DS, Wu W. A data-driven interpretable ensemble framework based on tree models for forecasting the occurrence of COVID-19 in the USA. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:13648-13659. [PMID: 36131178 PMCID: PMC9492466 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23132-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become one of the most serious public health crises. Tree-based machine learning methods, with the advantages of high efficiency, and strong interpretability, have been widely used in predicting diseases. A data-driven interpretable ensemble framework based on tree models was designed to forecast daily new cases of COVID-19 in the USA and to determine the important factors related to COVID-19. Based on a hyperparametric optimization technique, we developed three machine learning algorithms based on decision trees, including random forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), and three linear ensemble models were used to integrate these outcomes for better prediction accuracy. Finally, the SHapley Additive explanation (SHAP) value was used to obtain the feature importance ranking. Our outcomes demonstrated that, among the three basic machine learners, the prediction accuracy was the following in descending order: LightGBM, XGBoost, and RF. The optimized LAD ensemble was the most precise prediction model that reduced the prediction error of the best base learner (LightGBM) by approximately 3.111%, while vaccination, wearing masks, less mobility, and government interventions had positive effects on the control and prevention of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu-Li Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province China
| | - Shu-Yi An
- Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning China
| | - Bao-Jun Qiao
- Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning China
| | - Peng Guan
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province China
| | - De-Sheng Huang
- Department of Mathematics, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province China
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