Can atmospheric pollution be considered a co-factor in extremely high level of SARS-CoV-2 lethality in Northern Italy?

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 261; p. 114465
• Main Authors: Conticini, Edoardo, Frediani, Bruno, Caro, Dario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020
• Subjects: acute respiratory distress syndrome; air pollution; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; ARDS; Atmospheric pollution; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - metabolism; Coronavirus Infections - mortality; COVID-19; Cytokines - metabolism; death; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Inflammation; Italy; Italy - epidemiology; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - metabolism; Pneumonia, Viral - mortality; pollutants; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - mortality; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; viruses; Italy; Atmospheric pollution; Inflammation; Coronavirus; Covid-19; ARDS

This paper investigates the correlation between the high level of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lethality and the atmospheric pollution in Northern Italy. Indeed, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna are Italian regions with both the highest level of virus lethality in the worl...