5. Conclusions
SARS-CoV-2 transmission is a crucial public health concern, and many aspects of this route urgently require further study. Currently, increasing evidence has shown that droplet-aerosol transmission is an important route for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Epidemiological reports identified an association between PM and COVID-19; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we hypothesized that PM is a possible transmission model for COVID-19 by direct and/or indirect SARS-CoV-2 infection of the lungs. First, PM2.5 may provide a good platform to “shade” and “carry” the SARS-CoV-2 during atmospheric transport. Thus, PM2.5 containing SARS-CoV-2 could be a direct transmission model in a highly polluted area. Second, PM upregulates ACE2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 has high affinity for the ACE2 receptor. This suggests that PM may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 via ACE2 expression. The combination of PM and SARS-CoV-2 may aggravate lung injury by increasing inflammation. Herein, providing insights into the risk of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via PM.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720350610?via%3Dihub