Year Published:
Compiler(s):
Editor(s):
Cataloging Information
Hot Topic(s):
Topic(s):
Smoke & Air Quality
Smoke & Populations
Smoke & Populations
Ecosystem(s):
NRFSN number:
21999
FEIS number:
FRAMES RCS number:
60885
TTRS number:
Record updated:
With increasing heat and droughts world-wide, wildfires are becoming a more serious global threat to the world’s population. Wildfire smoke is composed of approximately 80% to 90% of fine (<2.5 um) and ultrafine (<1 um) particulate matter (PM) which are also common to ambient pollution; these can penetrate the bloodstream through respiration. Population health studies indicate that wildfire smoke is a serious risk to human health and increases the healthcare burden of smoke-exposed areas. Wildfires increase asthma attacks, especially asthma hospitalization in children aged 0-5 years, and increase inflammation and cardiovascular events. Both respiratory and cardiovascular events are associated with inflammation.
Citation
Prunicki, Mary M.; Dant, Christopher C.; Cao, Shu; Maecker, Holden; Haddad, Francois; Kim, Juyong Brian; Snyder, Michael; Wu, Joseph; Nadeau, Kari. 2020. Immunologic effects of forest fire exposure show increases in IL-1β and CRP. Allergy 75(9):2356-2358. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14251|