The Three Greatest Moments In Bio Fire History

The BIOFIRE System and Your Immune System

The BIOFIRE System provides syndromic infectious disease testing, empowering healthcare professionals to select the most appropriate test the first time. Patients benefit from faster diagnosis and a more targeted treatment. Clinicians benefit from improved stewardship of antibiotics. Labs save money while increasing efficiency.

The BioFire Pneumonia Plus Panel (PN panel) tests native sputum (including mini-BAL), endotracheal lavage, and bronchoalveolar slurries (including mini BAL) for 33 clinically important pathogens and resistance genes to antimicrobials in one hour.

Respiratory

The burning of biomass (wood plants, agro-forestry and other organic materials) produces gaseous pollutants as well as fine particles of matter that adversely affect the respiratory system. Additionally, the environmental issues caused by forest fires, like droughts, could be exacerbated by climate change, increasing their negative impacts on human health.

In the United States, wildfire smoke has been linked to hospitalizations for respiratory diseases like asthma, COPD and lung cancer. In addition, this type of air pollution can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a significant contributor to the burden of illness for the most vulnerable population, including people with lower socioeconomic status (SES).

In the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of communities were exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution resulting from wildfires. However the public health response to this environmental problem has been limited and largely focused on communicating about symptom management. This gap in knowledge is alarming due to the evidence of possible health risks resulting from the continual exposure to smoke and other causes of poor air quality.

Researchers are now evaluating the best methods to safeguard public health in future events of this type. NIH funds research on this crucial public health issue through the BLUE CORAL and FIRE CORAL studies.

For the first time an prospective study will examine the long-term effects of exposure to smoke from wildfires and other sources. FIRE CORAL enrolls adults who are hospitalized for COVID-19 index episode and speak English or Spanish however, they are not pregnant. The FIRE CORAL protocol includes a set of in-person assessments objectively measuring the pulmonary function test and lung imaging and functional assessments.

Smoke and other particles can trigger or worsen chronic respiratory conditions such as emphysema, COPD and pneumonia. There are a variety of steps that can be taken to stop or lessen the negative health effects from short-term exposures to smoke, including avoiding outdoor activities when possible and wearing the EPA's "N95" mask designed to capture fine particles.

Smoke can also cause irritation to the throat and eyes, and lead to an irritated nose. To reduce the symptoms the lungs need to be flushed by drinking lots of water and taking medications that decrease inflammation, such as corticosteroids.

Bloodstream

Bloodstream is the first line of defense against germs that enter your system. Dendritic cells are specialized cells that are akin to your fire department's call centre; they gather antigens (molecules that trigger an immune response) from invading germs and release proteins that alert other white blood cells to fight them. Circulating total white blood cells, differentials, and band cells were increased during firefighters' firefighting shifts, and compared to levels following physical exertion with no firefighting.

Skin

Dermatologists were concerned about the smoke and ash that resulted from the California wildfires could have an adverse effect on the skin of those who were exposed to them. Maria Wei is a graduate student at the University of California, Irvine. She studies how extreme wildfire pollution impacts the skin. Her research was published on April 22, 2012 in Scientific Reports.

Wei's research shows that the temperature of the skin changes depending on how long the body is exposed to flames. It can take up to two hours for the skin to reach its flash point--the point at which it burns and then turns into a ashy. It's important not to stay close to a fire or campfire and wear protective clothing if you're outdoors during a hot or humid day.

Forest fires will continue to happen, despite the precautions taken to prevent fires from causing pollution. Wei predicts that as the climate changes cause forests to burn more, the number of people who suffer from wildfires will rise. This means that more people will have to wear hats and long sleeves as well as thick moisturizers.

Air pollution from wildfires can increase the severity of atopic skin dermatitis which is a condition that causes itchy skin for many people. It is believed that this is due to the particles in smoke can clog pores, making the atopic dermatitis condition worse.

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