The superbug MRSA is potentially even more harmful if it is exposed to air pollution, some studies using mice and human cells suggest
Health
28 February 2022
Air pollution from smoke stacks at an oil refinery Susan Santa Maria/Shutterstock
Air pollution from fossil fuels and wood burning can directly affect the behaviour of bacteria, in some cases making them more likely to cause illness, a series of studies has shown.
“This is at an early stage, but it’s something that we need to look into more,” says Julie Morrissey at the University of Leicester in the UK. “This could be affecting health, because it is potentially affecting microbiomes and infectious disease microbes.”
Air pollution has many adverse effects on our …