Exposure to diesel exhaust can reduce the immune response of people with respiratory infections, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Researchers have found that exposure to diesel particulates can interfere with the body's ability to protect itself from tissue damage and increase inflammation in the lungs.
This study adds to a large body of research showing the negative health effects of inhaling particulates produced by diesel combustion. When you breathe in so-called PM2.5, or particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, they can lodge deep in your lungs.
According to the California Air Resources Board, short-term exposure to so-called PM2.5 is associated with premature death, increased hospitalizations for heart and lung problems, increased emergency department visits, asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory problems. It is said that there is
The UNC study was conducted to examine the possible effects of exposure to diesel exhaust particulates on the ability of immune cells to respond to infections. Researchers studied blood samples from healthy people and exposed white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting infection, to various irritants that caused the cells to lose their ability to fight inflammation.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, chronic inflammation can cause DNA damage and lead to diseases such as cancer.
“Exposure to air pollution is routinely associated with poorer health outcomes,” said Ilona Jaspers, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and lead author of the study. This was published in the American physiological journal “Lung Cell Molecular Physiology.'' “These findings could lead to further research to develop new types of treatments that can improve immune responses and reduce disease severity,” she said.
