--- title: Electronic Cigarettes: E-Cigs Increase Flu Risk in Mice description: Latest study underscores the need for more research into electronic cigarettes canonical: https://time.com/3697265/electronic-cigarettes-e-cigs-mice/ author: Eliza Gray article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-05T16:56:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:59:58.167Z article:section: Health og:title: E-Cigs Weaken Immune Systems in Mice, Study Says og:description: Latest study underscores the need for more research into electronic cigarettes og:url: https://time.com/3697265/electronic-cigarettes-e-cigs-mice/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt828f1d655b71f82b/6987788ecd1bba3a1e6f47f4/e-cig-electronic-cigarette-smoke-4.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: TIME.com stock photos E-Cig Electronic Cigarette Smoke og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: E-Cigs Weaken Immune Systems in Mice, Study Says twitter:description: Latest study underscores the need for more research into electronic cigarettes twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt828f1d655b71f82b/6987788ecd1bba3a1e6f47f4/e-cig-electronic-cigarette-smoke-4.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # E-Cigs Weaken Immune Systems in Mice, Study Says ## Video: Watch: The Rise of E-Cigarettes [Watch (HLS stream): Watch: The Rise of E-Cigarettes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bo5A95r5.m3u8) (2:02)  _Published 2013-12-27. A look at the rise of the e-cigarette market and why it's so divisive for many._ by [Eliza Gray](https://time.com/author/eliza-gray/) ## Eliza Gray Feb 5, 2015 4:56 PM UTC  Elizabeth Renstrom for TIME by [Eliza Gray](https://time.com/author/eliza-gray/) ## Eliza Gray Feb 5, 2015 4:56 PM UTC Electronic cigarettes can weaken the immune response in mice, putting them at higher risk for infections like the flu or strep, [a new study finds](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116861). The researchers exposed mice to e-cig vapor at comparable concentrations to human users for two weeks. The researchers then exposed the mice to strep and flu, comparing their responses to mice that hadn’t been exposed to the e-cig vapor. The results showed that the mice exposed to e-cig vapor had weakened immune defenses in their lungs and were more susceptible to the infections. The mice exposed to the flu virus were more likely to contract the illness and to die from it. **MORE**: [What to Know About the Science of E-cigarettes](http://time.com/3678402/electronic-cigarettes-ecigs-health-science-research/). The study looked only at mice, not at humans, but the results underscore the need for further research into the effects of e-cigarettes on humans. “E-cig exposure as an alternative to cigarette smoking must be rigorously tested in users for their effects on immune response and susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections,” wrote the authors of the study published in the peer-reviewed journal, _PLOS ONE_. 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