Competing Bioaerosols May Influence the Seasonality of Influenza-Like Illnesses, including COVID-19. The Chicago Experience

Richa B Shah; Rachna D Shah; Damien G Retzinger; Andrew C Retzinger; Deborah A Retzinger; Gregory S Retzinger

doi:10.3390/pathogens10091204

Competing Bioaerosols May Influence the Seasonality of Influenza-Like Illnesses, including COVID-19. The Chicago Experience

Pathogens. 2021 Sep 16;10(9):1204. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10091204.

Authors

Richa B Shah¹, Rachna D Shah², Damien G Retzinger³, Andrew C Retzinger⁴, Deborah A Retzinger⁵, Gregory S Retzinger⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60209, USA.
² Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago, IL 60153, USA.
³ Department of Computer Science, Graycore, Cincinnati, OH 45140, USA.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, West Virginia University, Camden Clark Medical Center, Parkersburg, WV 26101, USA.
⁵ Independent Researcher, Cincinnati, OH 45140, USA.
⁶ Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Abstract

Data from Chicago confirm the end of flu season coincides with the beginning of pollen season. More importantly, the end of flu season also coincides with onset of seasonal aerosolization of mold spores. Overall, the data suggest bioaerosols, especially mold spores, compete with viruses for a shared receptor, with the periodicity of influenza-like illnesses, including COVID-19, a consequence of seasonal factors that influence aerosolization of competing species.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; TLR4; Toll-like receptor; bioaerosols; fibrin(ogen) D-domain; influenza-like illness (ILI); innate immunity; mold spores; pollens.

Grants and funding

NA/Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL