Beijing PM2.5 and influenza-like illness
Beijing PM2.5 averaged 100.66 μg/m³ and tracked higher influenza-like illness mainly in flu season.
Source
Impact of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on the risk of influenza-like-illness: a time-series analysis in Beijing, China
What they did
Fit inverse-Gaussian GAMs of daily ILI counts (2008–2014) to US Embassy PM2.5, weather, and flu versus non-flu season.
What they found
Mean PM2.5 was more than four times the WHO 25 μg/m³ guideline; 2-day average PM2.5 best predicted ILI; effects were strongest in flu season and among adults 25–59.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Single-monitor exposure cannot capture neighborhood differences or prove viruses hitchhike on particles.
Key terms
- ILI
- Influenza-like illness case counts from surveillance.
- GAM
- Generalized additive model with smooth functions.
- Flu season
- October–April in this Beijing analysis.
- 2-day moving average
- Mean of today and yesterday's PM2.5.
- WHO guideline
- 24-h PM2.5 of 25 μg/m³ cited here.
- Inverse Gaussian
- Error distribution that fit ILI counts best.
Flashcards
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Quiz yourself
Mean Beijing PM2.5:
Common questions
Mean PM2.5?
100.66 μg/m³.
Mean ILI/day?
1763.
WHO comparison?
>4× 25 μg/m³.
Best lag?
2-day moving average.
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