SA study links air pollution to deadly pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis risks
A new study published in Nature Microbiology links air pollution to increased risks of invasive pneumococcal diseases like pneumonia and sepsis in South Africa. The research suggests that different bacterial strains respond uniquely to air quality levels.
Why it matters
Understanding the environmental triggers for infectious diseases can help public health officials better target interventions and improve air quality management.
Analyses of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in South Africa have found that air pollution can trigger deadly infections. Photo: iStock
Analyses of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in South Africa found that air pollution can trigger deadly infections, changing the risk and timing of pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis depending on the bacterial subtype a person carries.
The study, which will be published in Nature Microbiology on Monday, 14 September 2026, was conducted by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, and collaborators.
It analysed 59,000 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) across 19 years from South Africa’s GERMS‑SA surveillance programme.
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