Study explored what exposure to multiple sources of air pollution and tobacco did to impact rates of tuberculosis. Courtesy photo
LOMA LINDA – A study recently published by researchers in both Loma Linda and Laos PDR found that respiratory health and rates of tuberculosis in low-income communities may be severely impacted by controllable external factors. Tuberculosis – a curable and preventable disease – is now the world’s leading cause of death from an infectious agent, surpassing HIV and AIDS.The study – published online by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – found that, in Laos PDR, for every additional source of exposure to air pollution, the odds of TB go up 47 %. Sources of air pollution considered included exposure to smoked tobacco, secondhand tobacco smoke, and smoke from indoor cooking fires, burning crop waste and burning trash outside.This study e
