Exposure to electronic cigarettes impairs pulmonary anti-bacterial and anti-viral defenses in a mouse model
This study involved exposing mice to e-cigarette vapour for two weeks. Researchers looked at the “free radical” damage to the lungs and their ability to clear infections.
What it Found
The mice exposed to e-cig vapour took longer to get better from pneumonia or the flu than the mice only exposed to air. Some of them even died. This was used to claim that e-cigarettes lead to an increased risk of viral infections.
This generated headlines like: “Vaping may not be as safe as smokers think, research suggests”
What’s Wrong With It?
A lot.
Firstly, mice are not humans [citation needed]. You can’t just take a result from mice and treat it as though it translates to humans perfectly.
Secondly, the effects of vaping weren’t compared with smoking. At worst this would show that vaping isn’t completely safe.
Thirdly, nicotine is already well-known to suppress the immune system in mice and rats.
And finally, mice are more sensitive to nicotine than humans. The immune system problems and death in the mice exposed to vapour were probably due to stress and nicotine poisoning.
Analysis of the Study
· Public Health England: An evidence update (page 78)
· Bernd Mayer: Electronic cigarettes and airway infections – Update
