Airborne Infectious Agents and Other Pollutants in Automobiles for Domestic Use: Potential Health Impacts and Approaches to Risk Mitigation

Table 1

Risk factors for exposure to infectious agents inside family cars.

Factors	Impact
Length of commute	Risk of exposure to harmful airborne contaminants increases in direct proportion to the length of commute
Carpooling	Risk of exposure to harmful airborne contaminants increases in direct proportion to the number of occupants
Immunosuppression	Increasing proportion of the immunosuppressed persons in the general society
Potential hosts	Wide variation in the age & general health status of occupants
Stress of driving	Stress of driving may lower body’s general resistance mechanisms
Respirable particulates	Inhalation of such particulates may enhance exposure & susceptibility to infectious agents
Volatile organic chemicals	Exposure to such chemicals may occur simultaneously with inhalation of respirable particulates with potential negative additive effects on health