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Specific Health Problems

Better known are the symptoms of the illness. As the name suggests, fever is one of them. Generally, humidifier fever symptoms are very similar to those of influenza and often indistinguishable, but usually don't last as long.

Humidifier fever is non-infective and has to be distinguished from the more dangerous Legionnaires' Disease. It usually subsides within 24 to 48 hours without any long-term effects. Children and the elderly with pre-existing respiratory or immune system disorders are more susceptible to the strand of bacteria that causes humidifier fever. But, because various types of micro-organisms are involved, the affected person may also display allergic reactions, irritation of the nose and throat, or become infected with a different organism that may cause an additional illness.

Regularly cleaning the suspected appliances with bleach or other disinfectants is usually sufficient to minimize the risk or prevent the growth of micro-organisms in the first place.

The name humidifier fever, also humidifier lung, implies that a humidifier is involved and that the appliance is the cause of a fever. This holds generally true, but poor maintenance of any appliance that sprays fine water droplets into the indoor air to increase humidity or to cool a room can have the same result. Therefore, humidifiers, air conditioners, in particular evaporative coolers, can be sources of micro-organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, amoebae, and algae.

The breathing in of such contaminated water droplets can cause various illnesses and allergic reactions. In the case of humidifier fever, however, the micro-organism that causes the illness is not definitely identified as yet, but scientists are almost certain that poisonous substances in bacteria, endotoxins, are involved.

Humidifier Fever

Humidifier symptoms are:

Mild to high fever
Breathlessness and chest tightness
Cough
Aching muscles and joints
Tiredness and lethargy
Headache