Dirty AC filters can trigger allergy, reveals PGI study
Dushyant Singh Pundir
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 29
Acquired an allergy? Suffering from a skin infection? The answer may well lie in your air-conditioner. Unclean AC filters are hotbeds for dust mites and can trigger allergies and skin infections, afflicting more men than women.
A study conducted by the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGI, has find out that these filters, not just in hospitals but even in offices, guest houses, offices, schools and homes are abode to dust mites.
The study was conducted by Kashika Sharma, Khaiwal Ravindra and Maninder Kaur Sidhu, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, Rakesh Sehgal, Department of Medical Parasitology, PGIMER, and Suman Mor, Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University.
During the study, dust samples were collected from AC filters from hospitals, guest houses, offices, schools and homes in Chandigarh.
Shockingly, the highest concentration of dust mites was detected from hospitals (9/g), offices (7/g), households (6/g), guest houses (3/g), and schools (0/g).
Based on the morphology of dust mites observed under a light microscope, dermatophagoides and acarus species were found to be the most common, revealed the study.
While monitoring the quality of indoor air to find out their relation with dust mites present in AC filters and the status of respiratory health of indoor facility users, it was seen that 55.3 per cent of males among the total respondents were having an allergy and only 44.7 per cent of females had an allergy. The allergy among the male respondents (55.3%) was significantly more in comparison with the female respondents (44.7%).
However, some of the respondents also reported a family history of rhinitis (31.9%), asthma (12.8%), recurrent urticaria (6.4%) and conjunctivitis (6.4%).
Interestingly, 23.4 per cent of the study participants reported that they get disturbed by the use of AC and house dust was found to be the most triggering factor in enhancing the symptoms of allergy.
The study concluded that air-conditioner filters should be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of dust mites and related allergens on filter dust.
‘Clean regularly’
The study concluded that air-conditioner filters should be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of dust mites and related allergens on filter dust.
The study
During the study, dust samples were collected from AC filters from hospitals, guest houses, offices, schools and homes in Chandigarh. Shockingly, the highest concentration of dust mites was detected from hospitals (9/g), offices (7/g), households (6/g), guest houses (3/g) and schools (0/g).
