New Delhi, June 20
Monitoring fungal spores in the outdoor air can predict surges in flu and Covid-19 infections, according to a study.
Researchers from Lynn University in Florida, US, discovered that airborne concentrations of fungal spores -- but not pollen -- were strongly linked to increases in flu and Covid-19 cases.
When airborne concentrations of fungal spores rose, the scientists often saw a jump in infections within a few days.
The study models were able to predict flu and Covid-19 surges with high accuracy, particularly in the fall season. However, pollen didn’t show the same connection or prediction.
“The findings from our study suggest that monitoring airborne fungal spore levels could help predict short-term outbreaks (spikes) of flu and Covid-19, giving public health systems an early warning signal,” said Felix E. Rivera-Mariani, Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Lynn.
“Our findings also highlight the potential role of environmental factors -- not just person-to-person spread -- in contributing to the incidence of respiratory viral infections. That could open new doors for targeted public health alerts, especially in areas with high outdoor airborne fungi," Rivera-Mariani added.
In the study, the team examined daily data from 2022 to 2024, in two major health regions in Puerto Rico—San Juan and Caguas.