How do chemical exposures influence COVID-19?
Chemicals like pesticides or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) can impact how your immune system works and this can affect your susceptibility to or the severity of COVID-19 infections.
PRHE developed a systematic evidence map to identify and curate evidence, to help researchers quickly and effectively process evidence on how the environment impacts COVID-19.
Goals of the Map
The Systematic Evidence Map identifies and organizes human and animal research on high-priority environmental chemical classes (pesticides, PFAS, and
phthalates) and their potential to influence three key outcomes:
What You Will See in the Evidence Map
The online, interactive database shows the evidence currently available between exposure to 11 environmental chemicals and viral respiratory outcomes, and reveals data gaps that require further study. Researchers can review:
Map and Protocol
The Systematic Evidence Map was done to support work by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and other entities to identify how chemical exposures can make people more susceptible to disease.
The Systematic Evidence Map protocol was developed to identify and organize existing human and animal literature on high-priority environmental chemical classes and their potential to influence susceptibility, severity, vaccine efficacy.