Influence of environmental conditions and pollution on the incidence ofStreptococcus pneumoniaeinfections

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizes a large percentage of the population and while it can cause mild respiratory infections it is also responsible for more severe illnesses, such as invasive pneumococcal disease. Patient co-morbidities, concomitant viral infection, low temperature and environmental pollutants all have a synergistic effect that predisposes to pneumococcal infection, exerting deleterious effects on respiratory epithelium and local immune system, diminishing bacterial clearance and favouring infection [1].

Twenty-year trend in mortality among hospitalized patients with pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia

“…pneumoniae but does seem related to the introduction of virulent clones expressing non-vaccine serotypes, especially serotype 1[ 40 ]. On the other hand, we cannot rule out the possible effect of ambient air pollution on on the incidence of pneumococcal infections[ 41 – 43 ] as reported by a Spanish study of 619 cases of pneumococcal infections which found that fossil fuel-derived pollutants (SO 2 , NO), and dry and cold air increased the incidence of pneumococcal infections[ 43 ].…”

Twenty-year Trend in Mortality among Hospitalized Patients with Pneumococcal Community-Acquired Pneumonia

“…This increase does not appear to be related to the concurrent increase in penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae but does seem related to the introduction of virulent clones expressing non-vaccine serotypes, especially serotype 1 [40]. On the other hand, we cannot rule out the possible effect of ambient air pollution on on the incidence of pneumococcal infections [41][42][43] as reported by a Spanish study of 619 cases of pneumococcal infections which found that fossil fuel-derived pollutants (SO 2 , NO), and dry and cold air increased the incidence of pneumococcal infections [43].…”

Mechanism of ambient particulate matter and respiratory infections

“…In a time-stratified, casecrossover analyses of patients presenting to an emergency department with pneumonia, short term PM exposure was positively correlated with severe pneumonia, intensive care unit admissions, and inpatient mortality (20). Other studies have shown that sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), a component of air pollution, was related to increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (21,22). In contrast, another study did not find an association between 30-day PM exposure levels and sepsis (23).…”