THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF RESIDENTIAL SMOKELESS ENVIRONMENTS: DEDUCTIONS BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS WITH COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA

Abstract

Background: Biomass smoke has strong anti microbial effects against droplet-borne biocontamination. Therefore, the elimination of smoke from residential spaces may have contributed to epidemiological clusters. This hypothesis was examine dusing statistical, microbiological, and pathological methods. Patients and methods: The data for 332 pneumonia patients that were admitted between January 2018 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with those of 166 individuals that under went lung cancer examinations. Age and residential, nursing-care, and smoking status were assessed.The anti microbial effects of smoke against air or droplet-borne biocontamination were investigated using Koch’s method. Tar accumulation in anthracosis was examined as an adverse effect of routine biomass smoke inhalation. Results: Patients aged <75 y.o.(odds ratio [OR]: 0.062, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]:0.038-0.100)and those that did not require nursing care were at low risk of developing pneumonia (OR: 0.004, 95%CI: 0.001-0.028) by droplet-borne bio contamination during close conversations. Living in a private residence, where incense-stick use and tobacco smoking may be allowed, carried a low risk of pneumonia (OR: 0.026, 95%CI: 0.003-0.190). Current smokers had a low risk of pneumonia (OR: 0.237, 95%CI:0.111-0.504). Smoking-allowed spaces were significantly clean with 1.3±0.8 of mean colony-forming units (CFU)/5m. Both tobacco and incense-stick smoke reduced the number of colony-forming units in vocalized droplet cultures by>90%. Tobacco smoke-induced amorphous tar accumulation was not detected in resected specimens from non-smokers with early-stage lung cancer. Conclusions: Biomass smoke suppresses residential biocontamination. Smokeless residential environments may have contributed to the recent increase in pneumonia epidemics.