A study in mice and lab dishes has found that microplastics that accumulate in the body can disrupt the immune system, preventing immune cells from engulfing and destroying dead cells. The study also found that these tiny particles can clog up and disrupt the function of macrophages, which are responsible for destroying potentially harmful viruses, bacteria or fungi. The findings have potential implications for human health, as scientists are unsure how these microplastic particles contribute to illness. However, there is no clear public health evidence directly linking micropolastic exposure to increased infections in humans. The researchers plan to study samples from humans and hypothesize that these potentially contribute to atherosclerotic diseases.