Are vegans less susceptible to infectious diseases?

Question

After reading the recent article

• Butler, Michael J., and Ruth M. Barrientos. “The Impact of Nutrition on COVID-19 Susceptibility and Long-Term Consequences.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 87 (July 2020): 53–54.,

which suggests that the Western Diet (WD) may lead to higher susceptibility, I am wondering: Are vegans in general less susceptible to infectious diseases?

^{Although not an infectious disease, The China Study ch. 9 mentions one particular autoimmune disease, Type I Diabetes, that correlates with cow milk/protein intake.}

What infectious diseases are vegans less susceptible to have?

Answer 1

Yes

According to this abstract, the answer seems to be Yes (vegans are less susceptible to infectious diseases):

Vegetarians have low rates of viral diseases. Vegetarians have less HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).

This article mentions that vegetarians may have a lower risk of urinary tract infections.

This article emphasizes the fact that a vegetarian diet may improve immune repertoire:

the composition and duration of the diet may have an impact on the balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory factors in the gut microbiota and immune system.

Aspects that are related to the question

• a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of some conditions (such as diabetes or hypertension) which are serious comorbidities when getting some infections such as COVID-19. (I am trying to find out if this holds true for most viral infections). This means that vegetarians will be less affected if they get some viral infections.

• adopting a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle might reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases, since there is less contact between humans and animals.

Answer 2

Short answer is: Most of the vegans are less susceptible to infectious diseases?

But depends on more factors than vegan, or not, like followings:

1. blood type,
2. dosha,
3. meal diversity and composition/association,
4. blood sugar level,
5. water intake,
6. fittness,
7. and many more,

related to immune system, tooth condition, blood density, circulation and how the body are able to clean the toxins.

Answer 3

No. Infectious disease can affect any human being regardless of diet. What determines whether an individual is prone to contagion is their immune system.