Ambient PM_2.5 exposures could increase risk of tuberculosis recurrence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The effect of ambient PM_2.5 on the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been investigated in epidemiological studies. However, they did not separately study new and relapsed TB infection and focused on relatively short-term effects of PM_2.5. In this regard, we examined the associations of long-term PM_2.5 exposures with both new and relapsed TB incidences in South Korea, where the disease burden of TB is greatest among high-income countries.

Methods

An area-level ecological study of 250 districts was conducted from 2015 to 2019. Age- and sex-standardized TB incidence ratios for each district and year were used as outcome variables, and their associations with PM_2.5 concentrations for one to five-year average were examined.

SUBMITTER: Min KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10480611 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature