As per the World Health Organization, all but 1% of the world's population is exposed to unhealthy air and also exceeds the WHO limits for pollutants. However, there are some parts of the world where aur quality has improved through policies that limits pollution, while in other parts, it has not reached the desired results.

For US, more than 25% of the population is exposed to "unhealthy" air as per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is according to the report by the climate non-profit First Street Foundation. By 2050, the number of people exposed to "unhealthy" air will increase by more than half. The worst days of air pollution, reports BBC, "hazardous" or maroon under the EPA's system will rise by 27%.

Why are we talking about this today? It is because of the recent wildfire in California, which started on January 7. This is also one of the factors that is spiking the PM2.5 levels. It has increased by up to five micrograms per cubic metre in the western US in the past decade.

What is PM2.5?

It is a type of air pollution which is made of particulate matter and measures 2.5 micrometres across or less. It is roughly 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. These particles are made with a mixture of solid and liquid substances, which varies in their chemical composition, including carbon, metals, and organic compounds.

These specks of airborne soot, dust and other substances can also trigger inflammation, which could also damage your brain.

As per a 2021 study titled The Changing risk and burden of wildfire in the United States, a quarter of US's PM2.5 pollution was caused by wildfire smoke. In 2023, US also witnessed a significant dip in air quality and visibility as smoke from wildfires north of the Canadian border entered across the continent. In May 2024, Canada also saw a start to its wildfire season, and one town was evacuated in British Colombia.

Wildfire smoke and its effects

Wildfires do not only affect those who live near forests, peatlands, and grasslands, but also to the cities and environment in general. It can send plumes up to 14 miles or 23km into the stratosphere, and from there, it can spread all over the globe. For instance, in 2023, the Siberian wildfires released smoke that travelled across the Pacific Oceans to reach Alaska and Seattle.

Other than PM2.5, wildfire smoke is also harmful to immune cells in lungs, and the toxicity could be four times greater than particulates from other types of pollution.

Another 2019 study titled Effects of Atmosphere Processing on the Oxidative Potential of Biomass Burning Organic Aerosols found the toxicity of smoke doubled in the hours after it was first emitted and reached four times greater toxicity at its peak.

Health Impact

There have been research that shows how pollution affects your brain. It can lead to impaired judgment, poorer performance in school and even higher levels of crime, as per the 2018 study by the London School of Economics.

Other health concerns include weight gain. There have been researches that links airborne pollution such as PM2.5 to obesity. The studies have found that children who live in most polluted areas are twice as more likely to have obesity. Some studies also find the link of air pollution harming our sense of smell. As per an Italian study from 2022, titled Association between environmental air pollution and olfactory functioning among Italian adolescents and young adults in Northern Italy, noses of teenagers and young adults became less sensitive to odors after being exposed to nitrogen dioxide, which is a component in traffic fumes.

A team of US researchers has developed a novel nasal swab test, akin to those used to detect COVID-19 infections, which can spot early signs of Alzheimer's Disease -- affecting over 55 million people worldwide.

The condition is treatable in early stages to manage symptoms and slow cognitive decline. However, it remains the hardest to detect, affecting treatment outcomes. The brain changes can begin 10 to 20 years before symptoms become apparent.

The novel outpatient nasal swab, developed by Duke University researchers, has shown promise in picking up early biological changes linked to Alzheimer's. It can spot the degenerative condition, even before problems related to thinking and memory begin to appear.

"We want to be able to confirm Alzheimer's very early, before damage has a chance to build up in the brain," said Bradley J. Goldstein, professor at Duke University's School of Medicine.

"If we can diagnose people early enough, we might be able to start therapies that prevent them from ever developing clinical Alzheimer's," Goldstein added.

How Effective Was The Nasal Swab?

In the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, the team placed a gentle swab high inside the nose of 22 participants.

The swab collected thousands of nerve and immune cells to see which genes are active.

The analysis clearly differentiated people with early or diagnosed Alzheimer's from those without the disease -- 81 percent of the time. It also included people with no symptoms.

Alzheimer’s Disease: The Leading Cause of Dementia

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia and mostly affects adults over the age of 65.

About 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's disease. Over seven million people in the US, 65 and older, live with the condition, and over 100,00 die from it annually.

Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the development of toxic amyloid and beta proteins in the brain, which can accumulate and damage cells responsible for memory.

While there is no clear cause of Alzheimer's disease, experts believe it can develop due to genetic mutations and lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity

unhealthy diet

social isolation.

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Other signs include:

• losing or misplacing things
• getting lost when walking or driving
• being confused, even in familiar places
• losing track of time
• difficulties solving problems or making decisions
• difficulties performing familiar tasks
• misjudging distances to objects visually.

Over time, Alzheimer's disease leads to serious memory loss and affects a person's ability to do everyday tasks.

Currently, there is no cure for this progressive brain disorder, and in advanced stages, loss of brain function can cause dehydration, poor nutrition, or infection. These complications can result in death.

Being physically active and taking part in activities and social interactions that stimulate the brain and maintain daily function can help prevent the condition.

Heart diseases are viewed as a universal health concern, and advancements in cardiology have hugely improved diagnosis and treatment outcomes around the world. At the same time, emerging research is shedding more light on how cardiovascular disease affects women.

In India, this perspective is especially important. Of the more than 10 million deaths recorded annually in the country, nearly two million are attributed to diseases of the circulatory system, with women accounting for about 40% of these cases. Significantly, more than half of the nearly 800,000 cardiovascular deaths among Indian women each year occur prematurely, underscoring the importance of greater awareness, early detection, and timely medical care.

How Cardiac Research Has Evolved

It is evident that modern cardiology has been shaped by the findings from large, well-characterized populations of patients. The frameworks that have been established from such findings are the ones that guide the approaches that are currently used in the diagnosis and treatment of various forms of heart disease.

Such frameworks have been instrumental in the advancement of the management of various forms of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. As the research expands to include larger populations, there is an increased understanding that the manifestation of cardiovascular diseases differs from one group to another, particularly in females.

Recognizing Differences In Symptoms

This growing awareness is particularly useful in recognizing symptoms. Although women, like men, may experience chest pain as a symptom of a heart attack, there are other, less common symptoms that women may also experience.

These include fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, as well as neck, jaw, or back discomfort. The awareness of these symptoms will allow women to seek treatment sooner, as well as help healthcare providers better understand their symptoms.

The Role of Life Stages in Women’s Heart Health

Women’s heart health is influenced by various life stages and the hormonal changes that accompany them. For instance, after menopause, estrogen levels decline, and since this hormone offers some protective benefits for the heart, the risk of developing heart disease may gradually rise.

Certain pregnancy-related conditions, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure during pregnancy, may also indicate a greater likelihood of cardiovascular disease later in life. Recognising these factors allows doctors to monitor heart health more closely and recommend preventive measures that support long-term wellbeing.

Strengthening Prevention And Early Detection

Prevention continues to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing heart disease. Regular health check-ups, along with monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, are essential for lowering cardiovascular risk. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits further supports long-term heart health. Awareness is equally important.

Symptoms such as fatigue or breathlessness are not always immediately linked to heart disease, particularly among women. Raising awareness about heart health can help people recognize early warning signs sooner and seek timely care.

Moving Toward More Inclusive Cardiac Care

Encouragingly, the field of cardiology is constantly evolving with the help of emerging research that is further enlightening us about the health of the heart in both men and women. With more women being included in research and better developments in diagnostic procedures, healthcare professionals are refining their strategies to deal with heart health.

Thus, by adopting the best strategies and emerging research about the health of women’s hearts, awareness and early intervention are the keys to better outcomes and reduced risks among women in India.

The recent deaths of two young people and more than a dozen confirmed cases have brought meningitis back into the public conversation in the United Kingdom. According to Prof Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, who wrote for The Guardian the situation is concerning but also a reminder of how public health systems and vaccination programmes shape disease patterns.

Sridhar explains that meningitis has long been a serious public health concern. In the 1990s, the UK recorded around 2,500 laboratory confirmed cases of meningococcal disease each year. Most of these were caused by meningococcal group C bacteria. When the MenC vaccine was introduced in 1999, cases linked to that strain dropped dramatically, falling by about 96 percent to just a few dozen cases annually. Later, vaccination programmes expanded to include the ACWY strains, which also helped reduce infections by limiting transmission.

Another factor behind the current rise is the unusual drop in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Sridhar notes, restrictions on social mixing and other preventive measures in 2020 caused meningitis cases to fall to historic lows, with only about 80 confirmed cases in England that year. Since then, the numbers have gradually increased as normal social activity returned.

Read: Meningitis Outbreak: How to Differentiate The Symptoms From a Common Rash

Sridhar points out that a different strain of bacteria, known as MenB, is now responsible for most recent cases, particularly among younger people. The MenB vaccine was added to the routine childhood immunization programme in 2015, but it only protects children born after that year. Many teenagers and university students therefore remain unvaccinated against this strain.

Read: Meningitis Outbreak: University of Kent Student Among Two Who Died of the ‘Invasive’ Disease

University environments can also contribute to outbreaks because meningitis spreads through close contact such as coughing, sneezing, kissing or sharing items like vapes. According to Sridhar, public health teams respond by tracing close contacts, providing antibiotics, monitoring symptoms and offering targeted vaccinations.

In Kent, authorities have launched a ring vaccination programme focusing on university students to contain the spread. Sridhar says such measures highlight the continued importance of strong public health systems and sustained investment in vaccination programmes to prevent future outbreaks.

What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is a serious medical condition that affects the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, the meninges. While fever is not always present, it is usually considered as one of the classic symptoms of meningitis. It is important to know the varied symptoms, causes, and treatments of meningitis for early diagnosis and proper management of the disease.

Meningitis is an infectious illness that brings about inflammation in the meninges. The most common cause of such inflammation is bacterial or viral infections, though other causes are also possible including fungal, parasitic, or non-infectious causes (autoimmune disease, head injury, or brain surgery). Meningitis may be caused by bacterial meningitis, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates can be so severe and bring about conditions like hearing loss, vision problems, and death if not received on time.