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Damialis, A. ; Gilles, S. ; Sofiev, M.* ; Sofieva, V.* ; Kolek, F. ; Bayr, D. ; Plaza, M.P. ; Leier-Wirtz, V. ; Kaschuba, S. ; Ziska, L.H.* ; Bielory, L.* ; Makra, L.* ; del Mar Trigo, M.* ; Traidl-Hoffmann, C.

Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118:e2019034118 (2021)
Postprint DOI PMC
Open Access Gold (Paid Option)
Creative Commons Lizenzvertrag
Pollen exposure weakens the immunity against certain seasonal respiratory viruses by diminishing the antiviral interferon response. Here we investigate whether the same applies to the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is sensitive to antiviral interferons, if infection waves coincide with high airborne pollen concentrations. Our original hypothesis was that more airborne pollen would lead to increases in infection rates. To examine this, we performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis on SARS-CoV-2 infection, airborne pollen, and meteorological factors. Our dataset is the most comprehensive, largest possible worldwide from 130 stations, across 31 countries and five continents. To explicitly investigate the effects of social contact, we additionally considered population density of each study area, as well as lockdown effects, in all possible combinations: without any lockdown, with mixed lockdown−no lockdown regime, and under complete lockdown. We found that airborne pollen, sometimes in synergy with humidity and temperature, explained, on average, 44% of the infection rate variability. Infection rates increased after higher pollen concentrations most frequently during the four previous days. Without lockdown, an increase of pollen abundance by 100 pollen/m3 resulted in a 4% average increase of infection rates. Lockdown halved infection rates under similar pollen concentrations. As there can be no preventive measures against airborne pollen exposure, we suggest wide dissemination of pollen−virus coexposure dire effect information to encourage high-risk individuals to wear particle filter masks during high springtime pollen concentrations.
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Publikationstyp Artikel: Journalartikel
Dokumenttyp Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
Korrespondenzautor
Schlagwörter Covid-19 ; Pollen ; Viral Infection ; Aerobiology
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0027-8424
e-ISSN 1091-6490
Zeitschrift Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Quellenangaben Band: 118, Heft: 12, Seiten: , Artikelnummer: e2019034118 Supplement: ,
Verlag National Academy of Sciences
Verlagsort 2101 Constitution Ave Nw, Washington, Dc 20418 Usa
Nichtpatentliteratur Publikationen
Begutachtungsstatus Peer reviewed
Institut(e) Institute of Environmental Medicine (IEM)
Institute for Allergy Research (IAF)
Helmholtz AI - HMGU (HAI - HMGU)
Förderungen Helmholtz Association (Immunology Inflammation)
Helmholtz Climate Initiative (HI-CAM), Mitigation and Adaptation
Municipality of Thessaloniki, Greece (Directorate for the Management of the Urban Environment, Department of Environment)
European Social Fund
Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT)
PostDoc Latvia
Academy of Finland (Project PS4A)
Government of Navarra: Institute of Public and Labor Health of Navarra, within LIFE-IP NAdatpa-CC
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Spain, in the Program for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability
Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia
European Cooperation in Science and Technology (EU-COST) program, "New approaches in detection of pathogens and aeroallergens (ADOPT)"