UV-B induced immunomodulation: a health risk

The depletion in stratospheric ozone and changes in life-styles are likely to lead to an increased exposure to sunlight, including the UV-B waveband. Such irradiation may induce immunomodulation and therefore have adverse eff ects on human health. Alterations in immune responses could affect not only photocarcinogenesis but also resistance to infections, certain allergies a nd autoimmunity, and vaccination efficacy. In the present study, the risk o f increased UV-B exposure has been estimated with respect to the resistance to a bacterial (Listeria monocytogenes) and a viral (herpes simplex virus) infection. The data indicate that suberythemal W-B irradiation can have si gnificant effects on immune responses to certain infectious diseases in hum an subjects.