The low temperatures and the cold of the winter often bring colds, coughs, sore throats, sometimes fever and flu, or what everyone calls ‘seasonal ills’. However, not everyone knows that, in truth, the cold is not the cause of these winter diseases, or at least not the only one. Professor Enrico Brunetta, clinical immunologist at Humanitas in Milan, talked about it in an interview.
From the research no evidence between cold flu and other pathologies
Cold, without a doubt, can debilitate and weaken our organism but to date epidemiological studies and research have not found evidence of a link between cold temperatures and viral or bacterial infections. “It is not easy to trace the causes of seasonal influenza and other typically winter infections” – explained Prof. Brunetta – “but it is not really true that the cold itself is related to an increased incidence of infections. Also because if it were only a question of temperatures, in countries with a tropical climate there would be no epidemics, which are present instead”.
“Some research has shown a correlation between the drop in vitamin D levels and the lower resistance of the immune system, which would have less defense against viruses and bacteria,” explained Brunetta. “In winter, there is less light and sun exposure is reduced. For this reason, the level of vitamin D is lower.
Closed and very dry environments promote the spread of viruses
In the winter months, people live more often in closed and crowded areas, where air exchange is less frequent. “Heating, often at very high temperatures, makes the air rather dry. When the humidity level drops, we tend to get sick more easily and this is probably because this dry air situation is more conducive to the spread and infectiveness of viruses,” explained Prof. Brunetta. “The presence of a large number of people, such as in schools or offices, also favors the circulation of the microorganisms responsible for these infections”.
How to defend yourself: good habits and vaccines
“The main protection against the flu virus is the vaccine recommended for everyone and recommended especially in the risk groups: children, people over 65 years of age or with chronic diseases, health professionals and in many cases patients with immunodeficiencies”, clarified Brunetta adding that even good and trivial habits, such as washing hands, is one of the main methods to combat the spread of microorganisms, viruses and bacteria vehicles.
