The doctor spoke about the dangers of uncleaned air conditioners

With the advent of hot weather, air conditioners have become an indispensable attribute of everyday life. However, if these devices are not cared for for a long time, they may accumulate bacteria that pose a health hazard. This was reported on September 4 by the newspaper "Guangming Zhibao".

So, Chengdu citizen Lee came across this in his own practice. After turning on the air conditioner, which had not been used for more than a year, he felt unwell — muscle pain, headache, fever and cough. At first, he assumed it was a cold, and was treated at home. However, the body temperature continued to remain above 39 degrees, despite taking medications. Then he went to Chengdu Hospital, where he underwent the necessary examinations.

"According to the CT scan, his left lung turned out to be almost completely affected by inflammation, which turned white to a large extent. We learned that the patient had turned on the air conditioner, which had not been serviced for more than a year, and immediately suspected an infection. After conducting a fibroscopic examination, it turned out that Mr. Li was infected with Legionella pneumoniae," said Xu Xiaomei, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital.

Legionella is a dangerous bacterium that can cause severe pneumonia. Its sources are often air conditioners, especially if they are not cleaned regularly. After infection, symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache, and nausea may appear after 2-10 days. However, standard cold medications or common antibiotics such as penicillin are ineffective.

Xu Xiaomei warns that Legionella prefers a humid and warm environment, which makes air conditioners a convenient breeding ground for these bacteria.

"It is important to clean the air conditioners regularly and monitor the ventilation in the room. You should not stay indoors for a long time with the air conditioner turned on without fresh air," she added.

Doctors strongly recommend preventing infections related to air conditioners and not ignoring the symptoms of legionellosis. The earlier treatment begins, the higher the chances of a full recovery.

Olga Ulankina, an expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia on July 8 what could be dangerous about air conditioners and how to use them correctly to enjoy comfort without harm to well-being. According to her, bacteria and mold fungi can multiply in household appliances that are not properly maintained, which can cause an allergic reaction, asthma and other problems with the respiratory system.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.