Influenza viruses cause seasonal outbreaks in temperate regions, with an increase in disease and mortality in the winter months. Dry air combined with cold temperature is known to enable viral transmission, but the impact of ambient humidity on host response to influenza virus infection and disease outcome remains unclear.
Researchers found that exposure to low humidity increases the susceptibility of mice infected with the influenza virus to severe disease by impairing tissue repair, mucociliary clearance, and innate antiviral defenses.
The authors housed mice at low (10–20%) or high (50%) relative humidity for 4–5 days prior to respiratory challenge with a highly virulent strain of the influenza A virus. Mice housed at low humidity suffered a worse disease course due to caspase-1/11 signaling, with more rapid weight loss, a drop in body temperature, and shortened survival, compared with mice housed at high humidity.
Exposure to low humidity also impaired airway tissue repair, reduced tracheal mucociliary clearance—an innate defense mechanism that removes pathogens, allergens, and debris—and decreased the expression of interferon-stimulated genes, which restrict the spread of the influenza virus.
According to the authors, the results suggest that controlling relative humidity may be important for preventing influenza infection and disease symptoms during winter.
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/05/07/1902840116
http://sciencemission.com/site/index.php?page=news&type=view&id=publications%2Fhow-dry-air-increases&filter=22
How dry air increases susceptibility to influenza
- 1,127 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
DNA attached to nanoparticl…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Neighboring synapses shape…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Complete vascularization of…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Immune cells identified as…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
TB blood test which could d…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
Other Top Stories
How a common virus triggers blood cancer
Read more
Monoclonal antibody against cancer mutant protein Ras developed!
Read more
How brain cancer spreads
Read more
How circadian 'clock' may influence cancer pathway
Read more
Cancer cells 'talk' to their environment, and it talks back
Read more
Protocols
Spatial proteomics in neuro…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
All-optical presynaptic pla…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
Epigenomic tomography for p…
By newseditor
Posted 20 Mar
A mouse DRG genetic toolkit…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
An optogenetic method for t…
By newseditor
Posted 13 Mar
Publications
DNA corona on nanoparticles…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Co-dependent excitatory and…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
A microfluidic platform int…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Salmonella manipulates macr…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
BHLHE40/41 regulate microgl…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar