Lungs

Brainstormed by Canadian researchers, Atlas is claimed to be an “open access database of global BCG vaccination policies and practices."

The website is user-friendly and interactive, making it a first-of-its-kind to reach out to the suffering lot spread over the globe.

It provides free comprehensive information on current and past TB vaccination policies and practices for more than 180 countries.

Alarming rate of TB

The findings of the study are scheduled to be reported on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in San Francisco.

The researchers looked at the medical records of people with and without asthma from the late 1960s to the late 1980s.

They were surprised to discover that those who had asthma developed diabetes or heart disease more often than those who did not have asthma.

Research spanned more than a decade

The researchers discovered that air pollution can trigger a heart attack more easily than other risk factors. Spending time in traffic, whether as a driver or a pedestrian, makes you more susceptible to a heart attack.

Air pollution has already been linked to a number of lung disorders, including asthma and lung cancer. Polluted air is full of dust particles and soot that can enter lungs and lead to inflammation.