The hidden infectious disease-related sepsis risk of wildfire-specific PM2.5
A time-series analysis across 1,024 communities in seven countries or territories during 2000-2019 included 2.3 million infectious-disease-related sepsis hospitalizations. Each 10 micrograms/m3 increase in wildfire-specific PM2.5 was associated with a 1.5% increase in hospitalization risk (RR 1.015, 95% CI 1.007-1.024), nearly twice the reported non-wildfire estimate. Associations were strongest in children and adolescents.