Air conditioners have not been cleaned for a long time, experts remind to check before blowing.

Xu Xiaomei, the director of the Infectious Diseases Department at the Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Sichuan, explains that Legionella is a type of bacteria that particularly thrives in water and humid environments. Legionella pneumophila is one of them, and the hot and humid conditions of summer provide an excellent opportunity for their proliferation. Common appliances such as air conditioners, water heaters, showers, pipes, and hot springs can all become breeding grounds for them.This type of pneumonia develops rapidly, and the mortality rate is relatively high, especially for those with weakened immune systems who are more susceptible. It primarily spreads through the mist released by appliances such as air conditioners and water heaters, and inhaling it can lead to respiratory infections.
Liu Da, the deputy director and deputy chief physician of the Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Department at Changsha Central Hospital, stated that Legionella bacteria typically cause illness about 10 days after entering the human body.Clinical symptoms include fever, cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath, which are non-specific respiratory symptoms, as well as headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and other extrapulmonary manifestations. In severe cases, it can lead to shock or even death.Legionella is also one of the more common pathogens of severe community-acquired pneumonia.
Note: The high-risk groups that are easily infected with Legionella pneumonia include immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, patients with chronic heart, lung, or kidney diseases, long-term hospital residents, and pregnant women, who need to strengthen protection and monitoring. Preventing Legionella Daily attention should be paid to these aspects. Doctors remind that there is currently no vaccine to prevent Legionella pneumonia. The key to preventing Legionella pneumonia in summer lies in maintaining environmental sanitation, regularly cleaning and disinfecting air conditioners, bathrooms, and other places where Legionella can thrive, and avoiding swimming in untreated swimming pools. The following three aspects should be particularly noted: Air Conditioning Turn off the power This is the easiest step to overlook. Be sure to unplug the air conditioner before cleaning to prevent electric shock. Clean the external parts of the air conditioner Wipe the casing and exposed parts of the air conditioner with a damp cloth. The cloth should not be too wet to prevent moisture from seeping into the air conditioner and corroding the components.
Cleaning the Air Conditioning FilterRemove the filter and rinse the back (concave side) with clean water, gently scrubbing it. After cleaning, place it in a cool, dry place to air dry naturally.Cleaning the EvaporatorAfter removing the filter, you will see the evaporator fins. You can purchase a household air conditioner cleaning agent to spray on it, but be careful not to spray areas outside the evaporator to avoid causing a short circuit when turning on the power. After spraying, reinstall the dried filter and panel, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Turn on the air conditioning and set the airflow and cooling capacity to maximum, maintaining this for 30 minutes.BathroomsIf a storage-type water heater has not been used for a long time, it is necessary to let water run before use. This is because Legionella bacteria particularly thrive in damp and warm places, and showerheads and water pipes are their favorites.
Landscape Water PoolWith the arrival of summer, do not play or fool around in landscape water pools or fountain pools, as the majority of these ornamental water bodies are stagnant water. During high-temperature seasons, they are particularly prone to breed bacteria and plankton, and can easily become a breeding ground for Legionella.