Household air pollution: a call for studies into biomarkers of exposure and predictors of respiratory disease. AJP – Lung Physiol March 1, 2013 ajplung.00416.2012
Jamie Rylance, et al.
Household air pollution (HAP) from indoor burning of biomass or coal is a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality, mostly due to its association with acute respiratory infection in children, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in adults. Interventions that have significantly reduced exposure to HAP improve health outcomes and may reduce mortality.
However, we lack robust, specific and field-ready biomarkers to identify populations at greatest risk, and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions. New scientific approaches are urgently needed to develop biomarkers of human exposure that accurately reflect exposure or effect.
In this perspective, we describe the global need for such biomarkers, the aims of biomarker development, and the state of development of tests which have the potential for rapid transition from laboratory bench to field use.
