Dirty air changes lung tissue and weakens the immune system.

After many years of living in places with polluted air, people are less likely to tolerate respiratory infections. The fact is that pollutants fill the lymph nodes of the lungs - they accumulate inside macrophages. These are immune cells that absorb potentially dangerous substances, viruses and bacteria. After exposure to dirty air, macrophages have difficulty protecting the body from pathogens. These conclusions were reached by American scientists from Columbia University during the study of tissues of 84 non-smoking organ donors aged 11-93 years.