IIT Madras researchers find holding breath increases chances of COVID-19

The research team modelled the breathing frequency in a laboratory and found that low breathing frequency increases the time of residence of the virus and therefore it increases chances of deposition and consequently the infection.

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have found out that holding one's breath can increase their chances of a COVID-19 infection. They have also found that the process of virus-laden droplets being transported into deep lung increases with decreasing breathing frequency.

The research team modelled the breathing frequency in a laboratory and found that low breathing frequency increases the time of residence of the virus and therefore it increases chances of deposition and consequently the infection. Also, the multiscale lung structure has a significant effect on a person’s susceptibility to COVID-19.

The IIT Madras research was led by Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras, with his research scholars Arnab Kumar Mallik and Soumalya Mukherjee, IIT Madras. The findings of this study were published in the international reputed peer-reviewed journal Physics of Fluids.

Elaborating on the need for such research, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras, said, “Covid-19 (the disease caused by Coronavirus) has opened a gap in our understanding of deep pulmonological systemic diseases.”

“Our study unravels the mystery behind how particles are transported and deposited in the deep lung. The study demonstrates the physical process by which aerosol particles are transported into the deep generations of the lung,” he added.

Prof. Mahesh V Panchagnula’s team worked to gain a deeper understanding of how the rate of flow of droplet laden with virus determines the deposition of the virus in the lungs. In their research, the team reported that holding the breath and having a low breathing rate can increase the chances of virus deposition in the lungs.

The study was conducted to pave the way for developing better therapies and drugs for respiratory infections. Previous work from the group has also highlighted the significant variability in aerosol uptake from individual to individual, suggesting a reason why some people are more susceptible to airborne diseases than others.

Read More:

• IIT Madras Courses & Fees 2021
• IIT Madras Admission 2020: Cut Off, Eligibility, Process, Fee, Date