HealthDay News) -- Drought conditions occur when it doesn't rain for an extended period.
The lowered water supply can trigger wildfires and dust storms, which increase the amounts of small particles that float in the air. This can irritate the bronchial passages and lungs, worsening existing respiratory problems and raising the risk of respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
The agency says other potential consequences of drought include:
Saltwater Drops in Nose Could Shorten Kids' Colds
FDA Proposes Ban on a 'Useless' Decongestant, Phenylephrine
Experimental Nasal Spray Might Ward Off Multiple Viruses
Can Zinc Really Shorten a Cold?
Sleepy Nurses Vulnerable To Common Cold, Other Infectious Diseases
Most Americans Won't Get Vaccinated as Flu, COVID Season Looms: Survey
Has RSV Vaccine Hesitancy Subsided?
CDC Reports Potentially Troublesome Mutations in Bird Flu Found in Louisiana Patient
Universal Flu Vaccine Blocks Infection in Mice
U.S. Government to Pay Moderna $176 Million to Develop mRNA Flu Vaccine