Firefighters found to have persistent lung damage from Fort McMurray wildfire

(University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine& Dentistry) Firefighters at the centre of the battle against the massive Fort McMurray, Alberta wildfire in 2016 have persistent lung damage, according to new findings published by a University of Alberta occupational health research team. The firefighters had more than double the risk of developing asthma compared with the general population. They also exhibited a number of changes in lung function tests supportive of an effect on the lungs, including greater lung hyperreactivity and increased thickening of the bronchial wall.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news