Air pollution = Infection?

Global warming, deforestation, pollution. They all have an effect on your health. It’s hard to understand how these environmental factors are related to medical conditions. A recent study shows concerning results on the relation between pollution and diseases.

You might be thinking air pollution is everybody’s responsibility because you couldn’t possibly singlehandedly fight smog, ozone, or haze hanging outside in the air. You may be surprised to know that the air inside your house may be more polluted than that environment outside. This may be due to lead, dust, and maybe even volatile chemicals from some of the products you use about the house. German scentists have checked the relation between illnesses and pollution, and provided some useful conclusions.

The scientists from the German Research Centre for Environmental Health (Munich) analyzed data from 16,000 children, divided in to 10 groups. They collected data on the children’s health over the years. Out of the common respiratory illnesses, it was found that Otitis Media (middle ear infection) is the most common illness, compared to Croup (viral infection in the upper airway) and pneumonia. However, when they played around with the data and examined confounding variables which may have affected the children’s illnesses, they realized that pneumonia was more common in children with exposure to pollutants, and Nitrogen Oxides (NO2/NO) in particular. The common source of such pollutants is vehicles and industrial factories. According to this data, it seems that proximity to streets with a high volume of traffic is associated with the likelihood of pneumonia. As well as pneumonia, Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is also associated with increased odds for Otitis Media.

Conclusions on Air Pollution and infections

One of the most important conclusions of this research is that pollutants have the strongest effect during the first year of the child’s life. There is also good news: after the first year the occurrences of the infections dropped, as the children’s body gets stronger and more resistant to diseases.

The primary takeaway from the study seems to be that reducing air pollution will contribute in reducing the occurrence and burden of pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses in the early years of a child. While this is a known fact, there are some steps you can take to make your everyday surrounding a cleaner and purer one.
 

How to fight air pollution in your close surrounding:

• Keep the house clean of dust and chemicals – Vacuum regularly. Use one with a HEPA filter for better results. Mopping is a surefire way to capture and neutralize dust and allergens. Prevention is the best way though: Having a large floor mat at the door should help reduce the amount of dust that comes in, closing windows when rooms are not used (and on the other hand – airing them out every day or two), and in some cases an air filter may be needed – especially in city centers or areas with a lot of traffic.
• Keep out cigarette smoke – A no brainer, but second hand cigarette smoke is probably the worst indoor air pollutant. If you are a smoker, consider quitting, or smoking outside the house at the very least. If the house has secondhand smoke, ensure it is well ventilated.
• Humidity – Moisture attracts dust mites and mold. Dehumidifiers and air conditioners help reduce moisture in indoor air and control allergens.
• Avoid gas accumulation (in low rooms/basements). Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium found in nearly all soils. It is odorless and tasteless, making it hard to discover on your own. Testing is usually easy and inexpensive, and if required, reducing it to acceptable levels is not too hard.
• Avoid synthetics fragrances – These usually emit many different chemicals into the air. You want to stay away from them. There are many ecological and human friendly fragrances in the market.
• Save energy around the house – Close lights you’re not using, manage your heating and cooling. Less energy = less carbon emissions.
• Reduce vehicle use – Carpool, improve your fuel efficiency, use public transport; whatever it takes to spend less time in the car. Less car use = less air pollution.

Remember that polluted air has a great effect on you and your children especially. Use our tips and get a healthier environment, and if you are one of those people who want to change the world, join an organization which support reduction of air pollution and make a difference!

References

MacIntyre, Elaina A., et al. “Air Pollution and Respiratory Infections during Early Childhood: An Analysis of 10 European Birth Cohorts within the ESCAPE Project.” Environmental health perspectives (2013).