THE air conditioning in your hotel room could be doing you more harm than good, experts warn.
The cool blasts might feel great after a day in the sun, but they can actually cause some pretty serious health problems.
GettyThe air conditioning in your hotel room on holiday could make you ill, experts warn[/caption]
That’s because AC units can harbour nasty bacteria, which can cause a potentially harmful infection.
So you haven’t been imagining it, “air con cough” is real.
Senior clinical pharmacist Nyrah Saleem told Metro: “Generally, a well-maintained air conditioning unit will not make you sick.
“However, an AC unit which is not maintained in terms of water build up could potentially increase the risk of infections if it harvests viruses and bacteria – especially if mould or microbes grow within it.”
Most commonly, you might experience a sore throat, dry mouth, breathing difficulties, sneezing, irritated skin, a headache or fatigue.
But consistently breathing in germ-filled air can cause a lung infection called Legionnaires’ disease – a severe type of pneumonia.
According to the NHS, you can get Legionnaires’ disease if you inhale tiny droplets of water containing bacteria that causes the infection.
It’s usually caught in places like hotels, hospitals or offices where the bacteria have got into the air con, humidifiers, hot tubs or swimming pools.
While not that common (there are about 15 cases per million people every year in Europe, Australia and the USA), it can be “very serious”.
About one in 10 people who fall ill will die due to respiratory or organ failure complications, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
The most frequently reported symptoms include:
A coughDifficulty breathingChest painA high temperatureFlu-like symptoms
Some people with Legionnaires’ disease require hospital treatment, including intravenous antibiotics, oxygen and a breathing machine.
The best way to avoid getting sick, experts say, is to service air con systems at least once a year.
But Nyrah said if you’re on holiday, you can try over-the-counter antihistamines, which can lessen symptoms.
You should also choose reputable resorts that “prioritise cleanliness”, and request an air filter replacement if you’re worried, she added.
TikToker Ben Matthew Saunders, who lives in Spanish hotspot Mallorca, claims the hotel air con units in his area rarely get cleaned.
He told his 613,000 followers: “They’ve probably not been serviced properly for the last 10 years.
“So then you’ve got this mould blowing out while you’re lying there for eight hours with your mouth open.”