Biomarkers of chemical exposure and infectious disease
There are major gaps in infectious disease and environmental exposure research, which represent major opportunities for this field. The impact of chemical exposures on the immune system and susceptibility to infection or progression in infectious diseases has been minimally explored in primary research settings. Exposures considered relevant to infectious diseases included: air pollution (traffic/car fumes/particulate matter, cooking and heating with coal, and indoor air pollution), mining, naturally occurring food toxicants and contaminants, pesticides, insecticides, heavy metals, and high voltage power lines. There was also a general interest in the genetics of susceptibility to environmental exposures. Issues of temporality may impact our understanding of how environmental exposures impact infectious diseases. For example, exposures may impair the immune system and make the body more susceptible to infections. Infections may also lead to immunocompromised states and greater susceptibility to the harmful effects of environmental exposures. Disentangling the cause and effect of infection, immunity, environmental exposures, and disease susceptibility was noted as an important consideration for future research, particularly in the context of a well characterized genome.