Submitted by BoredMamajamma t3_zeig96 in science
> Under normal body-heat conditions, the researchers found that nasal extracellular vesicles were deployed with success by acting as decoys that directly bind and block viral entry.
>”Those extracellular vesicles actually bind to the viruses, which are suspended in the nasal mucus,” says lead author Di Huang of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear.
>In colder temperatures, a sparser net of fewer extracellular vesicles was deployed in tests involving two rhinoviruses and a coronavirus that are typical of the winter flu season.
Bottom line is temperature related changes in the innate immune system may drive greater infectivity of colds in cooler months.
Would dressing warm mitigate this effect?
There wasn't enough information in the article for me to come to a direct conclusion. Their own conclusion was that developing these vesicles artificially could be a solution, which has nothing to do with temperature. But your question does have me curious!
I had a friend who is Mexican, he told me he always wore a scarf out in the cold because Mexican culture believed directly inhaling cold air could make you sick. Looking back, I wonder if there was more wisdom in that claim than I originally gave him credit for
Uh, are you sure it's not for the simple reason that people aren't outdoors spread out like in the summer and pretty much stay inside more out of the cold... closer to other people doing the same?
I've never understood that argument. I don't change my habits too much in the winter time vs. summer. I may go biking outside more in the summer, but it's not like I replace those hours with more time with other ppl.
Maybe since I go to work with a buncha ppl with kids and their kids go to school with other germ factories, then the parents get sick, who then bring it to work.
In general more people tend to stay inside. I'm not out running when it's 30* I'll do do my running when I'm at the gym. Instead of gym then run the neighborhood when I get home in warm weather. I'll tend to stay inside the bar/restaurant instead of out on the patios when it's freezing cold. Same with work. Instead of having the bay doors open and kind of wondering around outside, all the shop doors will be closed and me and my coworkers generally stay inside so we're closer together when talking, etc.
>This paper uncovers a very robust mechanism that explains a lot
It helps explain. This isn't the first time that impaired mucosal immunity has been identified as a root cause. Prior to this the impact of cold air was discovered to inhibit the functioning of dendritic cells, which physically sample anything strange and coordinate to other immune cells in the innate immune system to respond. These play the central role in coordinating immune response in the mucosal system, as well among their various types later responses via B cells. If they are rendered dysfunctional for several hours by cold air you can see why you would be vulnerable. Viruses ensnared by extracellular vesicle components would also be phagocytised and likely recognised by dendritic cells. The swallowed mucous then presents to payers patches in the gut to expand the response to antigens more systemically.
I can find little follow up research on this, but I remember reading about this discovery by a scientist some years ago.
I don't buy it. In the winter I will stay at home alone much more and in the summer I will spend time in parks, going to parties and concerts. But even in my isolation I am kinda sick all winter, every winter.
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Wearing a mask can keep the nose a little warmer and prevent some colds from taking hold. It is like a nose coat.
We need small nose hats!
I heard an "expert" on a radio program a few years ago claim that wearing a scarf, even loosely around the neck, helped to collect your exhaled viruses and reduce the inhaled viruses. The closer it came to covering the nose, the greater the protection.
I'll try locate the source
E: radio program archives don't go back that far
so it was the cold and the bacteria...both
HA
I look forward to reading your paper about it. :-p
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Are you all people?
There have been plenty of papers written about it of course. This was my specialty (aerosol physics) at a national lab for a few years though I didn't publish on evaporation rates. Thanks for the nasty moronic response. I should just stop bothering.
I just read a thing about the average human temperature has been lowering. Wonder if that is going to have an effect as well.
I had read somewhere that there was less humidity in the winter air, which allows the viruses to float around longer and thus makes it easier to spread around versus in the Spring/Summer where the viruses are able to float around less before they get pulled to the ground.
As much as above poster is
Please recognize that your habits and behavior changes do not necessarily apply to everyone else. And that one is typically not very good at gauging what others do.
But I assume you go to work in the winter too? And get groceries, etc? Places where you meet other people…
Ypu go to work i presume.. and other people srent like you amd spend time with people and get sick and infect you.
If you were really isolated you would never get sick.
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Reddit is the only place where people state with confidence that cold has nothing to do with it but the other things it causes (like people huddling closer).
On the other hand, not a single doctor has denied me that cold environments make you more susceptible.
For me getting a throat infection from drinking cold water has close to 100% correlation
HAHAHHAAHAHHA you made me laugh though. If factories can make one, why not?
Possibly, that's why people get sick because of the viruses they get.
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Shouldn't this mean that mouth breathers would get sick more easily?
Same here. Well but I prefer more on winter season, it so peaceful for me. But summer is also great too.
Being protected by wearing winter clothes including mask is bad though. If it makes you feel warm, make this as suggestion.
Not usually though, maybe lessen taking showers or make it warm for atleast your body can resist.
Of course they are. Well it depends on your mood though. We can't just argue something we can't control.
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This is same in Europe and many other places. Older people saying to dress warm because you will get ill. Of course you don't get ill from the cold itself, but it does not help if your body is cold and has to work hard to stay warm.
Huh. I mean, that would actually make sense. Viruses love clinging to moisture, and sometimes reducing viral load is enough to not get sick, depending on the virus
This is a little different. In the US they have the same belief, and there's a lot of evidence that staying warm actually does prevent getting sick because your body isn't wasting energy on extra metabolism, energy which could be instead used on your immune system. His belief was strictly about inhaling cold air. No open windows at night, no going out without a scarf covering your mouth.
Can be though. Food intakes could possibly affect the condition of a person.
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I agree with you, I have read a lot of those too. The more it cold the more the viruses stay and even multiply.
It maybe. The coldness could be a probably reason why the temperature is been lowering.
People have weak body would tend to suffer in winter season.
That's why some people wear mask. It could help to lessen your inhale viruses.
This is literally why people in most Asian countries wear masks in public if they even feel slightly ill. It's considered to be the polite thing to do to protect others.
Viruses tend to stay longer when it's cold. That's why people get sick easily.
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Because of the weather itself. It's cold during that time. Many people usually younger and the older ones can resist winter season.
Probably, because when the temperature in Chicago is lower than San Diego, it could be then.
Weak immune system is really the main reason is. If they could be able to maintain healthy, then viruses won't come easily at you.
No this effect was over decades.
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