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Inflammation, immune dysfunction and viral disease: could micro- and nanoplastics be the missing link?
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This review examines how tiny plastic particles in the environment might weaken immune defenses and worsen viral infections. The authors synthesize existing research showing that these particles can stabilize viruses, trigger harmful inflammation in cells, and suppress the body's antiviral responses, potentially increasing susceptibility to severe infectious diseases.
The ubiquity of Micro- and nanoplastics (MP/NPs) pollution has reached a critical point, with these synthetic particles now detected across all environmental compartments and within human systemic circulation. As the global landscape faces an escalating frequency of viral outbreaks, there is an urgent need to understand how persistent xenobiotics modulate host-pathogen dynamics. This review posits that MP/NPs represent the “missing link” between environmental degradation and the rising severity of infectious diseases. By synthesizing recent toxicological and immunological data, here we delineate how MP/NPs function as biological “Trojan horses.” By forming a complex “chemical corona,” MP/NPs stabilize viral particles, enhancing their persistence and facilitating their translocation across compromised mucosal barriers. At the cellular level, internalized MP/NPs trigger chronic immune dysfunction by overactivating the NLRP3 inflammasome and inducing mitochondrial oxidative stress, while paradoxically suppressing essential antiviral signaling pathways, such as the type I interferon response. Furthermore, we highlight novel mechanisms of MP/NPs-mediated viral dissemination via migrasomes and hypothesize their potential to exacerbate chronic viral infections like HIV. Our findings redefine MP/NPs not merely as inert contaminants but as potent immunological modifiers that heighten host susceptibility and alter viral pathogenicity. This paradigm shift is vital for advancing One Health strategies and refining risk assessments in an increasingly plastic-polluted world.
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The potential role of micro- and nanoplastics in the spread of viruses
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics may act as vehicles that amplify the spread and infectivity of pathogenic viruses in humans and animals, explaining that the plastisphere (the microbial community living on plastic surfaces) can preserve viruses and that plastics weaken the body's natural barrier tissues. The authors warn that plastic particles carrying viruses could increase infection risk and potentially even help viruses develop new variants, calling for urgent interdisciplinary research.
Microplastics as Vectors for Viral Transmission: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Ecological-Health Risks
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Tiny plastic particles floating in the environment can stick to viruses and help them survive longer and spread more easily, which could increase the risk of getting sick. This review article summarizes what scientists have learned about how plastics and viruses interact, and why it matters, because many of us are now exposed to both microplastics and viruses at the same time, which could be worse for our immune systems than facing either threat alone. Understanding this problem better will help researchers figure out how to protect public health as plastic pollution continues to grow worldwide.
The interplay between microplastics and respiratory viral diseases.
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This review summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles in the air interact with respiratory viruses like coronavirus and influenza. Microplastics can damage the lungs, trigger inflammation, and weaken immune defenses, potentially making respiratory viral infections more severe and longer-lasting.
Enteric virus infection was boosted by the accumulation of micro- and nano-particles in host cells
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics can boost viral infection by promoting the release of virus-carrying extracellular vesicles from host cells. In experiments with murine norovirus, pre-exposure to the plastic particles enhanced viral spread while simultaneously suppressing key immune responses. The study identifies a previously unrecognized mechanism by which environmental plastic pollution could increase vulnerability to enteric virus infections.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics as Carriers for Viral Transmission: Effects on Viral Properties, Infection, Immune Response, and Public Health
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This review examined how microplastics and nanoplastics can act as carriers for viruses, potentially influencing the spread of infectious diseases. Researchers found that plastic particles create a surface habitat called the plastisphere that promotes microbial growth and can serve as a reservoir for pathogens. The study suggests that micro- and nanoplastics may alter viral persistence, infection dynamics, and immune responses, though significant knowledge gaps remain about the real-world impact on public health.
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