Yasmina Kattou
Why do we get sicker in winter? For the first time, scientists have been able to carry out a study which makes it possible to understand why as soon as the temperatures drop, there are more viral diseases. A discovery that could lead to the development of new treatments to combat the famous cold snaps.
“You’re going to catch a cold!” This is the sentence constantly repeated by parents as soon as the temperatures drop. Yet the cold is not a virus. But American and Egyptian researchers have discovered how and why people get sicker in winter. This study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. This is the first time ever that a study has shed light on why there are more viral illnesses in winter.
In our nose, as soon as we inhale the virus, a small cloud of cells forms to attack and destroy the virus. A reaction that works when our body is at 37 degrees. But when it’s 5 degrees outside, after fifteen minutes, it’s only 32 degrees in our nose… And this drop in temperature hampers our defense system.
Slowed immune mechanisms
“At the level of the nasal mucosa, when it’s cold, our cells are less able to release what are called extracellular vesicles. These are nano beads that also play an antiviral role. Well, when it’s cold , these nanoballoon expulsion mechanisms are slowed down. Therefore, so-called seasonal viruses multiply better when it is cold”, explains Olivier Schwartz, director of the virus and immunity unit at the Pasteur Institute.
In the future, this scientific discovery could make it possible to develop treatments to stimulate the production of these virus-killing cells and therefore better combat the famous cold snaps.