Pollution Increases Autoimmune Disease
Pollution in the environment breaks down the body’s protective epithelial layers and can trigger an inflammatory response
Scientific evidence links COVID-19 transmission with fecal aerosols. A recent study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, explored an outbreak in a high-rise apartment building in Guangzhou, China. The outbreak infected 9 individuals living in different units throughout the building. Through patient interviews, throat swabs, and an in-depth environmental investigation, researchers found that transmission most likely occurred in the master bathrooms of the apartments, which were connected through drainage vents. Fecal bio-aerosols most likely leaked, travelling from one apartment to another through the bathroom drainage pipes. Annals of Internal Medicine
Takeaway: To prevent future outbreaks of this kind, scientists who conducted the study recommend immediately resolving any leaks that exist within sewage drainage systems. This will prevent bio-aerosols from escaping and becoming a hazard. The findings in this study add to the growing evidence that COVID-19 and other infectious diseases can be spread through wastewater plumbing systems, especially those in high-rise buildings.
Studies also show that fecal aerosols can be dispersed into the air during flushing, referred to as “toilet plume”, which can potentially transmit COVID-19 to others in the bathroom during the flush, as well as those entering the bathroom at a later time. Small bathrooms and those with poor ventilation are the most at risk for fecal aerosols.
Pollution in the environment breaks down the body’s protective epithelial layers and can trigger an inflammatory response
Researchers found that climate change may detrimentally impact our quest to look younger through its effects on the soil
