Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is responsible for 19% of all deaths worldwide among children less than five years old. Environmental factors such as air pollution have been hypothesized to increase the risk of incidence for ARI in young children. Malnutrition is also known to suppress the immune system that renders a child more susceptible to ARI. This five-year traineeship aims to link environmental pollutants, while controlling for host nutritional factors, to an overall increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in Ecuadorian children. Air pollution in Quito, Ecuador will be closely monitored by the City of Quito and using mobile handheld monitors to allow a time-series and geographical analysis of respiratory disease in a cohort of children already enrolled in an NIH-funded study. These data will be used to statistically analyze adverse respiratory health outcomes in variably malnourished Ecuadorian children as it relates to air pollution. In addition, molecular and microbiologic analysis will establish a spectrum of pathogens that cause disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Individual Predoctoral NRSA for M.D./Ph.D. Fellowships (ADAMHA) (F30)
Project #
5F30ES012550-02
Application #
6797871
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SNEM-5 (02))
Program Officer
Shreffler, Carol K
Project Start
2003-08-01
Project End
2008-07-31
Budget Start
2004-08-01
Budget End
2005-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$51,214
Indirect Cost
Name
Tufts University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
039318308
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02111
Harris, Aaron M; Sempertegui, Fernando; Estrella, Bertha et al. (2011) Air pollution and anemia as risk factors for pneumonia in Ecuadorian children: a retrospective cohort analysis. Environ Health 10:93