Diego Cardoso / Picture Alliance via Getty Images Firefighters battle flames in Kadiwéu territory, Mato Grosso do Sul, September 2024Diego Cardoso / Picture Alliance via Getty Images
Another unpleasant consequence of wildfire smoke: it increases the risk of catching the flu. An analysis of 2009–2019 satellite data from 510 areas of Brazil associated a 13% higher incidence of influenza diagnoses with an increase in concentrations of particulate matter produced by burning biomass. The study, conducted by researchers from Monash University in Australia and the University of São Paulo (USP), found that almost 12% of flu cases can be attributed to this type of pollution. According to USP pathologist Paulo Saldiva, one of the authors of the study, the particles carry viruses deeper into the lungs and cause inflammation in respiratory system cells. He explains that in addition to the temporal overlap between wildfires and diagnoses, it was relatively easy to establish a correlation because fires are more frequent in warmer seasons, when flu cases are usually lower. While vaccination campaigns help reduce infections and severity, they only take place before the winter. To be effective during the dry season, this strategy would need to be rethought (Journal of Hazardous Materials, September 5).
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