Title
Case Report: Effects of Environmental Smoke Exposure on Respiratory Conditions-A Report of an Aboriginal Man Fire Hunting for Mud Turtles in the Top End, Northern Territory of Australia.
Link to article in PubMed
Author(s)
Nockles, Veronica
Hill, Ethan
Howarth, Timothy P
Ford, Payi L
Hickey, Phil
Edwards, Andrew
Abstract
Environmental smoke has been shown to have significant associations with both causation and exacerbation of respiratory conditions. Aboriginal Australians in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia are disproportionately affected by respiratory illness in comparison with non-Aboriginal Australians. Traditionally, Aboriginal communities have utilized fire for multiple purposes, such as land management practices, cultural ceremonies, hunting, and cooking. In this report, we describe an Aboriginal man who presented with acute exacerbation of airway disease after environmental smoke exposure while being in the close vicinity of "fire hunting" for "mud turtles" from a Top End remote Aboriginal community in the NT of Australia. This report highlights the potential impact of nontobacco environmental smoke exposure contributing to the causation and exacerbation of chronic respiratory conditions among Aboriginal Australians. Hence, further research is warranted to address mitigating strategies in this population.
Publication information
Am J Trop Med Hyg . 2024 Oct 15:tpmd240366. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.24-0366. Online ahead of print.
Date Issued
2024-10-15
Type
Journal Article
Journal Title
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
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