The BIOFIRE System and Your Immune System

The BIOFIRE System offers syndromic testing for infectious diseases, allowing healthcare professionals to select the appropriate test the first time. Patients benefit from faster diagnosis and a more targeted treatment. Clinicians benefit from a better stewardship of antibiotics. Labs gain efficiency and cost savings.

The BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia plus panel (PN panel) examines native sputum, endotracheal aspirate, and bronchoalveolar specimens (including mini-BAL) for 33 pathogens with clinical relevance and antimicrobial resistance genes. The panel provides semiquantitative results within an hour.

Respiratory

The burning of biomass (wood plants, trees and other organic materials) produces gaseous pollutants as well as fine particles that negatively impact the respiratory system. Additionally, the environmental issues caused by forest fires like droughts, may be amplified by climate change, which can increase their negative impact on the human health.

In the United States wildfire smoke is linked to hospitalizations due to respiratory illnesses like asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. This kind of pollution can also increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and is a major contributor to the burden of disease among the most vulnerable populations.

The wildfires have caused unhealthy levels of air pollutants in many communities during the COVID-19 epidemic. However, the public health response to this environmental problem has been limited and largely focused on communication regarding symptom management. This knowledge gap is alarming given the evidence that smoking cigarettes and other sources of poor quality air can cause health problems.

Researchers are now evaluating the best ways to safeguard the public's health in future events of this kind. NIH invests in research on this important public health issue through the BLUE CORAL and FIRE CORAL studies.

For the first time an prospective cohort study will evaluate long-term effects of exposure to smoke from wildfires and other sources. FIRE CORAL recruits adult participants who are admitted to hospital for COVID-19 index episodes and speak English or Spanish but aren't pregnant. The protocol for FIRE CORAL includes a set of tests conducted in-person, objectively measuring pulmonary function testing and lung imaging and functional assessment.

Smoke and other particles can trigger or worsen respiratory conditions such as emphysema, COPD and pneumonia. Smoke exposure can cause adverse effects on health. To minimize or avoid these effects, avoid outdoor activities and use the EPA "N95" mask. The mask is designed to catch fine particles.

Smoking can cause irritation of the throat and eyes, and lead to an irritated nose. To reduce the symptoms, drink plenty of water, and take medicines that help reduce inflammation, like corticosteroids.

Bloodstream

Your bloodstream is on the front lines of fighting off germs that enter your body. Dendritic cells are special cells, function as the call center for your fire department. They collect antigens from bacteria and release proteins to signal other white cells to fight. Circulating total white blood cell counts, differentials and band cells were boosted following firefighters' fire-fighting shifts, as compared to levels after strenuous physical exertion without fire-fighting.

Skin

Dermatologists were concerned about the smoke and ash of the California wildfires could have an adverse effect on the skin of those who were exposed to the smoke and ash. Maria Wei, a graduate student at University of California, Irvine is studying how severe wildfire pollution affects the skin. Her research was published on April 22, 2012 in Scientific Reports.

The study of Wei shows that the temperature changes of the skin dependent on the amount of time the body has been exposed. It can take up to two hours for the skin of someone to reach their "flash point"--the point where it begins to burn and turn into ash. It's important not to stay near a campfire or fire and wear protective clothing if out during a hot or humid day.

Forest fires will continue occur, despite the steps taken to stop the spread of wildfires. Wei is forecasting that the number of people suffering the effects of wildfires will grow as climate change causes more and more forests to burn. This means that more people will need to wear hats and long sleeves as well as thick moisturizers.

The air pollution from wildfires can exacerbate atopic skin dermatitis, which is a condition that causes itchy skin in a lot of people. She says that the particles in smoke can clog pores which can cause skin irritation.

Another issue is that atopic dermatitis can make people more sensitive to UV light, which may be aggravated by wildfire smoke. This can result in people looking for tanning salons and tannish with less protection.

https://www.fireplacesandstove.com/categories/bioethanol-fireplaces with ice and fire can help reduce atopic skin symptoms of dermatitis however, it isn't advised for anyone who has an open wound or rash. This treatment is not recommended for people with active acne or if you're pregnant or nursing. The IS Clinical Fire & Ice Facial at Novuskin, Las Vegas' most prestigious membership MedSpa offers a thorough result-driven facial that bridges the gap between a light facial and a peel, without needing any downtime. It's designed to smooth skin, improve rosacea, reduce the appearance of acne scars and fine lines and also encourage cellular regeneration. This is a fantastic treatment to provide your skin with a radiant glow.

Infections

The human body is a complicated system of organs and tissues that work to guard us against infection. Infections are caused by microscopic organisms such as parasites, viruses, bacteria and fungi that infect healthy cells and cause them to replicate beyond control. Your immune system could react by displaying symptoms of illness. The symptoms could include a runny nose to a stomach that is upset, but can also include swelling of lymph glands, or an itchy skin rash. The nature of the infection and its location can affect the severity of your symptoms.

Infections can be spread through a variety of methods however the most common are from person to person by droppings that hang in the air after sneezing or coughing. Bacterial infections like tuberculosis, strep throat, meningococcal disease, and Legionnaires' disease are spread in this manner, as do certain viral infections such as the common cold and influenza. Some infections caused by bacteria, such as skin infections and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, are spread by direct contact with infected tissue or mucous membranes, or through indirect contact with contaminated surfaces. Some bacterial infections are spread by insects like fleas, ticks, or mosquitoes.

Viruses, parasites, and other microorganisms are small enough to be able to get into the bloodstream and cause infection to your cells. This can lead to serious diseases such as the common cold or AIDS. Fungi are responsible for a myriad of skin conditions such as ringworm and athlete's foot. Some affect the lungs or the nervous system, like the rabies virus.

The BioFire Panel uses our innovative FilmArray Technology to test sputum and bronchoalveolar fluid samples to provide a complete list of pathogens that are involved in upper respiratory infections. The kit includes a reagent pouch that stores all the chemistry needed to perform reverse transcription PCR, nested multiplex PCR and detection on a single machine. It's a simple solution to aid clinicians in identifying and treat patients with a variety of respiratory symptoms. This test has been granted an Emergency Use Authorization and is available through bioMerieux's CLIA moderate and high complexity labs.