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POSTERS: Microbiome/Communities I

P-339 - Pathogens on fire: wildland fires and smoke-borne pathogen ecology in the One Health framework

Monday, August 4, 2025
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM HST
Location: Exhibit Hall 3
Abstract Text: Wildland fire frequency, size, and intensity are changing with shifts in climate, land management, and fuel accumulation. While wildfire smoke is well-studied in terms of pollutants, its role in microbial dispersal is an emerging research frontier. Smoke plumes can lift and disperse diverse microbial assemblages, including potentially pathogens posing potential risks to human, animal, and plant health. However, gaps in our knowledge of the ecology and epidemiology of smoke-associated pathogens raise critical questions about pathogen viability, infection potential, and role in disease emergence. The One Health framework integrates human, animal, plant, and soil health, essential for assessing these risks. Studies suggest that wildland fire smoke may exacerbate respiratory diseases, alter microbiomes, and facilitate pathogen dispersal across ecological boundaries. Fungal plant pathogens (Puccinia, Ustilago) and human pathogens (Coccidioides) have been detected in smoke, yet their infection dynamics post-dispersal remain largely unknown. Here, we synthesize existing research on smoke-borne pathogens, identifying seven key priorities to outlines future directions to understand these potential pathogens impacts. These include assessing infection risks, microbial viability, host susceptibility, and predictive modeling for wildfire-driven pathogen dispersal. Addressing these gaps will enhance surveillance, inform public health and agricultural strategies, and improve our understanding of the broader ecological impacts of wildland fire smoke on global health and food security.