Impact of global short-term landscape fire sourced PM2.5 exposure on child cause-specific morbidity: a study in multiple countries and territories

Shuang Zhou, Yiwen Zhang, Zhengyu Yang, Rongbin Xu, Wenzhong Huang, Yao Wu, Zhihu Xu, Yuan Gao, Yanming Liu, Wenhua Yu, Pei Yu, Gongbo Chen, Ke Ju, Tingting Ye, Bo Wen, Yuxi Zhang, Michael Abramson, Lidia Morawska, Fay H. Johnston, Simon Hales, Micheline S. Z. S. Coelho, Yue Leon Guo, Jane Heyworth, Wissanupong Kliengchuay, Luke Knibbs, Eric Lavigne, Guy Marks, Patricia Matus, Geoffrey Morgan, Paulo H. N. Sadiva, Kraichat Tantrakarnapa, Yuming Guo () and Shanshan Li ()
Additional contact information
Shuang Zhou: Monash University
Yiwen Zhang: Monash University
Zhengyu Yang: Monash University
Rongbin Xu: Monash University
Wenzhong Huang: Monash University
Yao Wu: Monash University
Zhihu Xu: Monash University
Yuan Gao: Monash University
Yanming Liu: Monash University
Wenhua Yu: Monash University
Pei Yu: Monash University
Gongbo Chen: Monash University
Ke Ju: Monash University
Tingting Ye: Monash University
Bo Wen: Monash University
Yuxi Zhang: University of Sydney
Michael Abramson: Monash University
Lidia Morawska: Queensland University of Technology
Fay H. Johnston: University of Tasmania
Simon Hales: University of Otago
Micheline S. Z. S. Coelho: University of São Paulo
Yue Leon Guo: National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital
Jane Heyworth: University of Western Australia
Wissanupong Kliengchuay: Mahidol University
Luke Knibbs: The University of Sydney
Eric Lavigne: University of Ottawa
Guy Marks: University of New South Wales
Patricia Matus: University of the Andes (Chile)
Geoffrey Morgan: The University of Sydney
Paulo H. N. Sadiva: University of São Paulo
Kraichat Tantrakarnapa: Mahidol University
Yuming Guo: Monash University
Shanshan Li: Monash University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Children are particularly vulnerable to landscape fire sourced fine particulate matter (LFS PM2.5), yet evidence on its health effects remains limited. Here we show that short-term exposure to LFS PM2.5 is associated with increased hospital admissions for multiple diseases in children and adolescents. We analysed daily hospital admission data from 1012 communities in seven countries/territories, linked to a high-resolution LFS PM2.5 dataset. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in LFS PM2.5 was associated with elevated risks for all-cause (1.1%), respiratory (1.9%), infectious (1.5%), cardiovascular (2.9%), neurological (2.8%), diabetes (3.7%), cancer (1.5%), and digestive (0.8%) hospital admissions. Risks for respiratory, infectious, and neurological conditions increased even at low exposure, while others rose only above 15-20 μg/m3. Children aged 5-9 years and those in lower socioeconomic areas were especially affected. These findings highlight the health burden of LFS PM2.5 in young people and the urgent need to reduce exposure and protect vulnerable populations.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64411-0

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