Major concerns regarding lung injury and related health conditions caused by the use of humidifier disinfectant

• Main Author: Donguk Park
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society of Environmental Helath and Toxicology 2016-07-01
• Series: Environmental Health and Toxicology
• Subjects: Lung injury; Humidifier disinfectant; Polyhexamethylene guanidine; Oligo(2-)ethoxyethoxyethyl guanidine chloride; Chloromethylisothiazolinone; Methylisothiazolinone
• Online Access: http://www.e-eht.org/upload/pdf/eht-31-e2016014.pdf

A total of 221 patients were evaluated to be humidifier disinfectant associated with lung injury (HDLI) through two rounds of programs through April 2015. The humidifier disinfectant (HD) brands most often associated with HDLI were found to be Oxy (n=151, 68 %) and Cefu (n=26, 17 %). Polyhexamethylene guanidine used for disinfectant for four types of HD brands including Oxy was found to be associated with the highest number of HDLI cases (n=188). Further programs are operating to identify various health effects including lung injury which may be associated with the use of HD. Not only national agencies, but also pertinent environmental health societies should cooperate in the necessary investigations so that this tragedy can be properly addressed and future incidents concerning chemicals and chemical-containing products can be prevented.