A Hangzhou girl cleaned her closet and developed mold in her lungs! Doctors warn residents in the south to be careful

Hangzhou TV recently reported that a week ago, Ms. Wang (pseudonym), a post-2000s living in Hangzhou, developed symptoms of coughing, fatigue, and fever, with the highest body temperature reaching 40°C. After taking medicine, the symptoms did not improve, so Ms. Wang went to the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University for treatment. After a series of examinations, the doctor found from the lung CT scan that Ms. Wang's lungs had "small tree buds" and suspected fungal pneumonia.

It turned out that Ms. Wang had mold spots on her wardrobe at home, so she cleaned the moldy parts without taking protective measures. During the cleaning process, she inhaled a lot of impurities and dust. After that, she had paroxysmal coughs, but the degree was relatively mild and she did not pay attention to it. After understanding the situation, the doctor performed a fiberoptic bronchoscopy on her and found a large number of white plaques on the airway wall. After testing, it was confirmed that it was Aspergillus .

Many people have been infected recently! Doctors remind: It is the rainy season in the south, so be prepared

Ms. Wang is not the only one who has been infected. Recently, Ms. Dai, 63, from Changsha, Hunan, also had similar symptoms. According to her, she recently sorted out old books and photos at home, and there were a lot of dust mites and mold hidden in these old photos and books. During the sorting process, she did not take good protection, which led to the inhalation of a large amount of dust mites and mold, and then she had a severe allergic reaction, which led to asthma symptoms and difficulty breathing.

Before the Qingming Festival, Mr. Wang, 60, from Ningbo, Zhejiang, also experienced chest pain, fever and other symptoms after visiting the graves. After diagnosis, it was found that the culprit was the impurities and dust inhaled during the tomb-sweeping. Doctors also found a large number of white bacterial plaques on the walls of his airways, which were later tested to be Aspergillus. After nebulization inhalation and antifungal treatment, the mold in the patient's body was gradually killed, the chest pain symptoms were relieved, and the blood oxygen saturation returned to normal.

Molds like moist and warm environments. Doctors remind us that the weather in the south is warming up, and it is rainy and humid, which is a natural condition that is conducive to the growth of molds. Molds are easily bred in some poorly ventilated and humid spaces, especially in corners and window sills; kitchen sinks, stoves, kitchen utensils, tableware, rubber rings, refrigerator interiors, toilets, bathrooms, washing machines, air conditioner interiors, etc. In addition, books that have not been used for a long time, carpets, dead branches and rotten leaves piled up in the wild, or large areas of weeds can also breed molds.

How does mold grow into the lungs? It is necessary to take good protection

Li Jianmin, director of the respiratory ward 3 and chief physician of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, said, "Mold is a special fungus that can cause mildew reactions. It is common in daily life and can cause chronic poisoning, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, mutagenicity, aspiration pneumonia, etc. after entering the human body." In addition, mold entering the human body may also cause infections of the oral cavity, skin, urinary system, gastrointestinal tract, and even systemic infection. People with allergic constitutions may also have allergic reactions after inhaling mold into the body.

Mold can grow in any environment. When the human immune system is under attack or is weak, mold may enter the lungs and cause fungal pneumonia. Typical symptoms of fungal pneumonia include persistent cough, sputum, fever, chest pain and difficulty breathing. These symptoms may be similar to the common cold or flu in the early stages and are easily ignored. However, we need to be alert to the persistence and aggravation of the symptoms.

Studies have shown that patients with blood tumors, organ transplants, tumor chemotherapy, long-term use of immunosuppressants or broad-spectrum antibiotics, elderly patients, and patients with severe viral or bacterial infections are at high risk of disease and should minimize exposure to mold.

The elderly, young children, and people with underlying diseases or low immunity should stay away from dust as much as possible and avoid contact with damp and rotten soil; when rummaging through drawers to clean, sorting out old clothes, or being in dark and damp places such as bungalows and basements, they should wear masks and gloves, and long sleeves and long pants to avoid directly inhaling gases containing mold.

In addition, you can use disinfectant, such as 3% hydrogen peroxide, soda water, or a 1:1 mixture of water and white vinegar for cleaning. You can also dry books, carpets, etc. in the sun. When removing mold, be sure to wear a mask and gloves to avoid accidental inhalation.