Associations of pollen and cardiovascular disease morbidity in Atlanta during 1993-2018.

Background: Pollen exposure is associated with substantial respiratory morbidity, but its potential impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains less understood. This study aimed to investigate the associations between daily levels of 13 pollen types and emergency department (ED) visits for eight CVD outcomes over a 26-year period in Atlanta, GA.

Methods: We acquired pollen data from Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, a nationally certified pollen counting station, and ED visit data from individual hospitals and the Georgia Hospital Association.

What North American retail food environment indices miss in Guatemala: Cultural considerations for the study of place and health.

We evaluated the cross-context validity and equivalence of the US- and Canada-originated Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) and modified RFEI (mRFEI) against a retail food environment dataset from the indigenous-majority city of Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala. The RFEI/mRFEI failed to identify 77% of retailers and misclassified the healthiness of 42% of the remaining retailers in Xela, inaccurately labeling the city a food swamp. The RFEI/mRFEI are not currently suitable for mapping retail food environments in places like Quetzaltenango.

Volunteer-contributed observations of flowering often correlate with airborne pollen concentrations.

Characterizing airborne pollen concentrations is crucial for supporting allergy and asthma management; however, pollen monitoring is labor intensive and, in the USA, geographically limited. The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) engages thousands of volunteer observers in regularly documenting the developmental and reproductive status of plants. The reports of flower and pollen cone status contributed to the USA-NPN's platform, Nature's Notebook, have the potential to help address gaps in pollen monitoring by providing real-time, spatially explicit information from across the country.

Pollen and asthma morbidity in Atlanta: A 26-year time-series study.

Background: Compared to many environmental risk factors, the relationship between pollen and asthma is understudied, including how associations may differ by pollen type and between subgroups, and how associations may be changing over time.

Objectives: We evaluated the association between ambient pollen concentrations and emergency department (ED) visits for asthma and wheeze in Atlanta, Georgia during 1993-2018. We estimated overall associations for 13 individual pollen taxa, as well as associations by decade, race, age (5-17, 18-64, 65+), and insurance status (Medicaid vs non-Medicaid).

Extreme Heat Exposure: Access and Barriers to Cooling Centers - Maricopa and Yuma Counties, Arizona, 2010-2020.

Extreme heat exposure increases the risk for heat-related illnesses (HRIs) and deaths, and comprehensive strategies to prevent HRIs are increasingly important in a warming climate (1). An estimated 702 HRI-associated deaths and 67,512 HRI-associated emergency department visits occur in the United States each year (2,3). In 2020, Phoenix and Yuma, Arizona, experienced a record 145 and 148 days, respectively, of temperatures >100°F (37.

Long-term pollen trends and associations between pollen phenology and seasonal climate in Atlanta, Georgia (1992-2018).

Background: Previous research has revealed that airborne pollen concentrations and phenology in allergenic plants are changing. In addition, variations in seasonal climate are known to affect pollen phenology in trees, weeds, and grasses.

Objective: To investigate localized trends in pollen concentrations and pollen phenology over time and the effect of seasonal climate variations.

Climatic Influences on Cryptococcus gattii [corrected] Populations, Vancouver Island, Canada, 2002-2004.

Vancouver Island, Canada, reports the world's highest incidence of Cryptococcus gattii infection among humans and animals. To identify key biophysical factors modulating environmental concentrations, we evaluated monthly concentrations of C. gatti in air, soil, and trees over a 3-year period.

Respiratory syncytial virus circulation in seven countries with Global Disease Detection Regional Centers.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in young children globally, with the highest burden in low- and middle-income countries where the association between RSV activity and climate remains unclear.

Methods: Monthly laboratory-confirmed RSV cases and associations with climate data were assessed for respiratory surveillance sites in tropical and subtropical areas (Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, and Thailand) during 2004-2012. Average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures, relative humidity, and precipitation were calculated using daily local weather data from the US National Climatic Data Center.

Association between movement and Sin Nombre virus (Bunyaviridae: Hantavirus) infection in North American deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) in Colorado.

Capture data from long-term, mark-recapture studies were used to evaluate movements of North American deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) on mark-recapture webs in Colorado with respect to Sin Nombre virus (SNV) infection status, age, sex, and trapping site. Latitude and longitude coordinates for each capture during the approximately 12-yr study were used to produce an individual minimum convex polygon (MCP) area representing the movements (not home range) of an individual mouse over time. These MCP areas were compared by SNV infection status (as determined by the presence of antibody), age, and sex.