“吹一晚上空调，肺白了大半”？医生提醒！

As temperatures soar, many are turning on their air conditioners for relief. But two recent cases in China serve as a stark warning: a 78-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man both developed severe pneumonia after using air conditioners that hadn't been cleaned for months.

The woman, identified as He, was rushed to the hospital with a high fever and a violent cough after just one night of AC use. A CT scan showed that much of her right lung had turned white. Doctors traced the cause to Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires' disease. 

The same bacteria was found in the 32-year-old man, who had left his AC idle for half a year before turning it on. Both patients recovered after targeted antibiotic treatment.

据了解，军团菌是一种广泛存在于天然水源、人工水环境中的革兰氏阴性杆菌，长期未清洗空调的冷凝水盘、过滤网、通风管道，是它最理想的“温床”。

空调停用数月后，内部潮湿、密闭的环境会让军团菌大量繁殖。空调一开机，军团菌便随冷风变成气溶胶，被人吸入肺中，极易引发肺炎。

Legionella thrives in warm, stagnant water. Unclean AC units – especially the filter, evaporator, and condensate tray – provide an ideal breeding ground.

When the AC is turned on, the bacteria are released as aerosol droplets and inhaled, leading to infection.

若家中使用中央空调，建议每年开机前由专业人员对风管和蒸发器清洗、消毒；普通家用空调若自行清洁，这些步骤请记好。

For central AC systems, it's best to hire a professional for annual cleaning before first use. As for your home AC, here are DIY steps to follow.

√ 关闭电源：清洗前一定要拔掉空调插头，以防触电。

Unplug – Always disconnect power before cleaning.

√ 清洗空调过滤网：取出过滤网，用清水冲洗背面（凹面）并轻轻刷洗，洗净后置于阴凉处自然晾干。

Clean the filter – Remove and rinse the back (concave side) with water. Gently scrub if needed, then air-dry.

√ 清洗蒸发器：过滤网取下后，会看到蒸发器散热片，可选购家用空调清洗剂进行喷淋，但请勿喷到蒸发器以外部位，以免开机后引起短路；喷淋后装回已晾干的过滤网及面板，并静置约15分钟；开启空调制冷运行20至30分钟，使污水从排水管流出。

Clean the evaporator – Apply a commercial AC cleaner to the evaporator fins (avoid spraying other parts). Let it sit for 15 minutes after reinstalling the dry filter and cover. Then run the AC in cooling mode for 20–30 minutes to flush out dirty water.

高温季来临，启用空调前别忘了先清洗。使用时应勤通风，勿贪凉。

一旦出现发热、咳嗽、乏力等症状，请及时就医。