The BIOFIRE System and Your Immune System

The BIOFIRE System offers syndromic testing for infectious diseases, allowing healthcare professionals to choose the appropriate test the first time. Patients benefit from quicker diagnosis and more specific treatment. Clinicians benefit from better antibiotic stewardship. Labs save money and increase efficiency.

The BioFire Pneumonia Plus Panel (PN panel) tests native sputum (including mini-BAL) and endotracheal lavage and bronchoalveolar slurries (including mini BAL) for 33 clinically significant pathogens and resistance genes to antimicrobials within an hour.

Respiratory

The burning of biomass (wood, plants and other organic material) produces gaseous pollutants and fine particulate matter that adversely affect the respiratory system. Furthermore, the environmental issues caused by forest fires such as droughts, can be amplified by climate change, thereby increasing the negative effects on the human health.

In the United States, wildfire smoke has been linked to respiratory illnesses, including asthma, COPD and lung cancer. In addition, this type of air pollution is an underlying risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is a significant cause of disease for the most vulnerable population which includes those with lower socioeconomic status (SES).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities were exposed to harmful levels of air pollution resulting from wildfires. The public health response has been limited to a public education campaign regarding symptom management. This knowledge gap is alarming, due to the fact that smoking and other sources of poor quality air can lead to health problems.

Researchers are now evaluating the best ways to protect public's health in the event of future events of this kind. NIH is funding research on this important public health issue through the BLUE CORAL study and its successor FIRE CORAL.

For the first time the study is a prospective cohort study that will evaluate long-term effects of exposure to smoke from wildfires as well as other sources. FIRE CORAL enrolls adults who are admitted to hospital for COVID-19 index episodes and speak English or Spanish but aren't pregnant. The Fire Coral protocol includes a battery in-person assessments that objectively assess pulmonary function testing, lung imaging and functional assessment.

The lungs are especially sensitive to the effects of smoke and other particles because they can trigger or exacerbate chronic respiratory illnesses, such as emphysema and COPD and increase the risk of pneumonia. There are a variety of steps that can be taken to stop or reduce the adverse health effects resulting from exposures to smoke, such as abstaining from outdoor activities when it is feasible and wearing the EPA's "N95" mask designed to catch fine particles.

Smoking can also cause irritation to the throat, eyes and nose. To minimize symptoms, the lungs should be flushed by drinking lots of fluids and taking medications that reduce inflammation, such as corticosteroids.

Bloodstream

Your bloodstream is at the forefront of fighting germs that invade your body. Dendritic cells, which are special cells, function as a call center your fire department. They are able to collect antigens from bacteria and release proteins to alert other white cells to fight. The total number of white blood cells, differentials and band cells increased after firefighters' fire-fighting duties in comparison to levels after strenuous exercise without fire-fighting.

Skin

As the wildfires in California released smoke and smoke into the air during fall and winter dermatologists were concerned about how this could affect the skin of those exposed to it. Maria Wei, a graduate student at the University of California, Irvine is studying how severe pollution from wildfires affects the skin. Her research was published on April 22, 2012 in Scientific Reports.

The study of Wei shows that the temperature of the skin fluctuates depending on the length of time the body has been exposed. It can take up to two hours for the skin to reach its flash point--the temperature at which it starts to burn and then turns ashy. It is important to avoid staying near a fire pit or campfire, and you should always wear protective clothing if you're outdoors during a hot or humid day.

While it's important to take precautions against wildfire-related pollution, there's no way to stop forest fires from happening. Wei is predicting that the number of people suffering the effects of wildfires will rise as climate change causes more and more forests to be burned. This means that more people will have to wear long sleeves and hats and also thick moisturizers.

It's also important to know that the atopic dermatitis (itchy skin) that a lot of people suffer from is often exacerbated by wildfire air pollution. She says that the particles in smoke can clog pores, making atopic skin worse.

Atopic dermatitis may also make people more sensitive towards UV light. This is often exacerbated by smoke from wildfires. This can cause people to be more likely to seek out tanning salons, and could cause them to tan with less protection than they need to.

A treatment with ice and fire can help reduce atopic skin symptoms of dermatitis however it is not recommended for those with an open wound or rash. Those with active acne should be cautious and if you're nursing or pregnant, it's recommended to avoid this treatment altogether. The IS Clinical free standing bio ethanol fire (visit this site right here) & Ice Facial, at Novuskin Las Vegas' premier membership MedSpa is a results-driven intensive facial that bridges between an easy facelift and a peel, but without the need for downtime. It's designed to rejuvenate the skin, reduce the appearance of rosacea, lessen the appearance of acne scars, reduce lines and wrinkles, and stimulate the renewal of cells. This is a great way to give your skin a glowing glow.

Infections

The human body is a complicated system of organs and tissues that work to protect us from infection. Infections are caused by microscopic microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus that infiltrate healthy cells and cause them to reproduce beyond control. Your immune system could react by exhibiting symptoms of illness. These symptoms can range from a runny nose to an upset stomach and can also include an increase in fever, swelling of lymph glands, or a rash. The type of infection and its location can affect your symptoms.

Infections spread in many ways however the most common are spread from person to via droplets that remain in the air after sneezing or coughing. Bacterial infections like tuberculosis and strep throat meningococcal diseases and Legionnaires' disease spread this way, along with some viral infections, such as the common cold and influenza. Certain bacterial infections like skin infections or sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) such as chlamydia or gonorrhea are transmitted by direct contact with infected mucous surfaces or tissues, or indirectly through contaminated surfaces. Certain bacterial infections are transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes, ticks or fleas. They can be spread when these bugs bite you.

Some parasites and viruses are small enough to enter your bloodstream and infect your cells, which leads to serious illnesses like the common cold or AIDS. Fungi can cause a variety of skin ailments such as ringworm and athlete's foot. Some are a threat to the lungs and nervous system, like the rabies virus.

The BioFire PN Panel uses our unique FilmArray technology to detect a complete list of pathogens involved in upper respiratory infections in sputum or Bio Ethanol Fireplace samples of bronchoalveolar fluid. The kit includes the reagent pouch which stores all the chemistry needed to perform reverse transcription PCR, multiplex nested testing and detection using a single machine. It's an easy-to-use solution to aid clinicians in identifying and treat patients suffering from various respiratory symptoms. The test has been granted an Emergency Use Authorization. It is available in bioMerieux CLIA medium and high complexity labs.