The interplay between environmental exposures and COVID-19 risks in the health of children.
Environ Health
; 20(1): 34, 2021 03 26.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33771185
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
An unusual feature of SARS-Cov-2 infection and the COVID-19 pandemic is that children are less severely affected than adults. This is especially paradoxical given the epidemiological links between poor air quality and increased COVID-19 severity in adults and that children are generally more vulnerable than adults to the adverse consequences of air pollution.OBJECTIVES:
To identify gaps in knowledge about the factors that protect children from severe SARS-Cov-2 infection even in the face of air pollution, and to develop a transdisciplinary research strategy to address these gaps.METHODS:
An international group of researchers interested in children's environmental health was invited to identify knowledge gaps and to develop research questions to close these gaps.DISCUSSION:
Key research questions identified include what are the effects of SAR-Cov-2 infection during pregnancy on the developing fetus and child; what is the impact of age at infection and genetic susceptibility on disease severity; why do some children with COVID-19 infection develop toxic shock and Kawasaki-like symptoms; what are the impacts of toxic environmental exposures including poor air quality, chemical and metal exposures on innate immunity, especially in the respiratory epithelium; what is the possible role of a "dirty" environment in conveying protection - an example of the "hygiene hypothesis"; and what are the long term health effects of SARS-Cov-2 infection in early life.CONCLUSION:
A concerted research effort by a multidisciplinary team of scientists is needed to understand the links between environmental exposures, especially air pollution and COVID-19. We call for specific research funding to encourage basic and clinical research to understand if/why exposure to environmental factors is associated with more severe disease, why children appear to be protected, and how innate immune responses may be involved. Lessons learned about SARS-Cov-2 infection in our children will help us to understand and reduce disease severity in adults, the opposite of the usual scenario.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Salud Ambiental
/
Salud Infantil
/
Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Health
Asunto de la revista:
SAUDE AMBIENTAL
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia