
Signs your air conditioner is making you sick
Harmful mould growth in air conditioning units, especially with increased AC use during hotter months, poses health risks.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 1.7 million Midea window air conditioners due to potential mould growth, which can cause respiratory issues or infections.
Common indoor moulds like Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems; black mould can cause eye irritation and worsen asthma.
The CDC notes that mould can cause symptoms ranging from cold-like symptoms, a skin rash, or burning eyes to severe reactions like fever and shortness of breath, especially in immune-compromised individuals.
Experts recommend regular AC maintenance, proper ventilation, and cleaning to prevent mould growth, and advise wearing protective gear like gloves and masks when removing existing mould.
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The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Boy, 18, left with horrific bowel disease for life after hay fever tablets wreaked havoc in his gut
CHRONIC use of popular medications may lead to inflammatory bowel disease, experts have warned. Their warning comes after an 18-year-old boy' s daily use led to him developing colitis. 2 The teenage boy had been dealing with debilitating daily headaches and decided to self-treat with daily over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are a class of medications used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever. They're commonly used for conditions like headaches, menstrual cramps, sprains, strains, and arthritis, with common examples including ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. In a report published in Cureus, medical experts detailed how the boy had also been taking diphenhydramine for seasonal allergies - which is a combination of an antihistamine and NSAID. More than two years after taking the pills daily, he began experiencing hematochezia - bleeding from the rectum - and fatigue. He had no significant past medical history, but revealed to doctors he'd been taking 600mg of over-the-counter NSAIDs two times a day. A colonoscopy revealed significant mucosal inflammation in his colon, suggestive of colitis due to chronic NSAID use, which led to him being officially diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Colitis is one of the main types of IBD. Doctors discharged the boy after his vital signs (heart rate and blood pressure) showed to be stable. He was given oral oral prednisone and mesalamine for IBD, was advised to discontinue NSAID use, and was instructed to return in six weeks for a repeat colonoscopy. I was going to the toilet 40 times a day - FA Cup star opens up on his bowel disease torment But he ultimately failed to follow up. The authors of the report wrote: "This case highlights the adverse effects associated with chronic NSAID use." They added: "Although the patient was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, the absence of a strong family history and the presence of chronic NSAID use raise the possibility of drug-induced colitis. 2 "This underscores the importance of obtaining a detailed medication history and ensuring close outpatient follow-up." What is colitis? Colitis, or ulcerative colitis as it's also known, is where the colon and rectum become inflamed. The exact cause is unknown, although it's thought to be the result of a problem with the immune system. Inherited genes may also be a factor of the development of the condition - you may be more likely to have it if you have a close relative with the condition. And where and how you live could affect your chances. The NHS advises: "The condition is more common in urban areas of northern parts of western Europe and America. "Various environmental factors that may be linked to uclerative colitis have been studied, including air pollution, medicine and certain diets. "Although no factors have so far been identified, countries with improved sanitation seem to have a higher population of people with the condition. "This suggests that reduced exposure to bacteria may be an important factor." NSAIDs, some heart and migraine medications, hormone medicines, and antibiotics have previously been linked to colitis. Signs of ulcerative colitis The main symptoms are: recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus tummy pain needing to poo frequently You may also experience extreme tiredness (fatigue), loss of appetite and weight loss. The severity of the symptoms varies, depending on how much of the rectum and colon is inflamed and how severe the inflammation is. For some people, the condition has a significant impact on their everyday lives. Some people may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, or none at all (remission), followed by periods where the symptoms are particularly troublesome (flare-ups or relapses). During a flare-up, some people with ulcerative colitis also experience symptoms elsewhere in their body; which are known as extra-intestinal symptoms. These can include: painful and swollen joints (arthritis) mouth ulcers swollen fat under the skin causing bumps and patches – this is known as erythema nodosum irritated and red eyes problems with bones, such as osteoporosis In many people, no specific trigger for flare-ups is identified, although a gut infection can occasionally be the cause. Stress is also thought to be a potential factor. You should see a GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of ulcerative colitis and you haven't been diagnosed with the condition. Source: NHS


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
EPA employees put names to 'declaration of dissent' over agency moves under Trump
A group of Environmental Protection Agency employees on Monday published a declaration of dissent from the agency's policies under the Trump administration, saying they 'undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.' More than 170 EPA employees put their names to the document, with about 100 more signing anonymously out of fear of retaliation, according to Jeremy Berg, a former editor-in-chief of Science magazine who is not an EPA employee but was among non-EPA scientists or academics to also sign. The latter figure includes over 70 Nobel laureates. The letter represents rare public criticism from agency employees who could face blowback for speaking out against a weakening of funding and federal support for climate, environmental and health science. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health made a similar move earlier in June. "Since the Agency's founding in 1970, EPA has accomplished (its) mission by leveraging science, funding, and expert staff in service to the American people. Today, we stand together in dissent against the current administration's focus on harmful deregulation, mischaracterization of previous EPA actions, and disregard for scientific expertise," the letter read. Agency spokespeople did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment. Employees want the EPA get back to its mission 'I'm really sad. This agency, that was a superhero for me in my youth, we're not living up to our ideals under this administration. And I really want us to,' said Amelia Hertzberg, an environmental protection specialist at the EPA who has been on administrative leave since February from the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, while the administration works to close down her department. Hertzberg's work focused on the most vulnerable groups impacted by pollution: pregnant and nursing people, young children and babies, the elderly, people with preexisting and chronic health conditions and people living in communities exposed to higher levels of pollution. That wasn't supposed to be controversial, but it's become so in this political climate, she said. ' Americans should be able to drink their water and breathe their air without being poisoned. And if they aren't, then our government is failing,' she said. Berg, who also directed the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH from 2003-2011, said the dissent isn't motivated by partisan criticism. He said the employees hope it will help the EPA get back to the mission for which it was established — which 'only matters if you breathe air and drink water." The letter outlines what the EPA employees see as five main concerns: undermining public trust; ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters; reversing EPA's progress in America's most vulnerable communities; dismantling the Office of Research and Development; and promoting a culture of fear, forcing staff to choose between their livelihood and well-being. EPA has cut funding and rolled back federal regulations Under Administrator Lee Zeldin, EPA has cut funding for environmental improvements in minority communities, vowed to roll back federal regulations that lower air pollution in national parks and tribal reservations, wants to undo a ban on a type of asbestos and proposed repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. Zeldin began reorganizing the EPA's research and development office as part of his push to slash their budget and gut their study of climate change and environmental justice. And he's seeking to roll back pollution rules that an Associated Press examination found were estimated to save 30,000 lives and $275 billion every year. 'People are going to die,' said Carol Greider, a Nobel laureate and professor of molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who also signed the letter. She described last week's East Coast heat wave as evidence of the ways people are feeling the effects of climate change. 'And if we don't have scientists at the EPA to understand how what we do that goes into the air affects our health, more people are going to die,' she added. Berg said the declarations of dissent from both the NIH and EPA employees are noteworthy because they represent scientists speaking out as their careers are on the line. Even non-agency employees have to consider whether the government will withdraw research funding. Greider, asked about fears of repercussions or retaliation, said she's 'living the repercussions of everything.' She regularly meets with graduate students who are worried about pursuing scientific careers as labs lose funding. It's a long-term problem if we aren't supporting the next generation of scientists, she said: "That's decades worth of loss.' Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
INmune Bio's Alzheimer's drug falls short of mid-stage study goal, shares tumble
June 30 (Reuters) - INmune Bio (INMB.O), opens new tab said on Monday its experimental Alzheimer's drug failed to improve cognitive functions in patients with early stages of the mind-robbing disease in a mid-stage study, sending its shares plunging nearly 63% in premarket trading. The drug, XPro, is designed to target and inhibit inflammatory signals associated with a type of protein called tumor necrosis factor without suppressing the immune system. The study enrolled 208 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), or mild cognitive impairment, an early sign of the disease, who were randomly chosen to receive a weekly subcutaneous injection of XPro or a placebo for 24 weeks. The drug was safe and well-tolerated, the company said, with injection site reactions the most common adverse event.