Wildfire Seasons, Prenatal PM_2.5 Exposure, and Respiratory Infections by Age 1 Year: A Population-Based Case-Control...

The 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons in British Columbia (BC), Canada were unprecedented. Among all the pollutants in wildfire smoke, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) poses the most significant risk to human health. There is limited research on prenatal wildfire smoke exposure and its impacts on infant health. We used a population-based nested case-control design to assess the association between daily PM_2.5 exposures during specific developmental windows and the occurrence of otitis media or lower respiratory infections by age 1 year, including infections associated with dispensations of the antibiotic amoxicillin. We observed the strongest association between per 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 exposure and otitis media during the fourth window of eustachian tube development (weeks 19-28) with an OR [95% confidence interval] of 1.31 [1.22, 1.41]. Similarly, the canalicular stage of lower respiratory tract development (weeks 18-27) was associated with the highest odds of lower respiratory infections, with an OR of 1.21 [1.15, 1.28]. Measures to reduce wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy are warranted.