Use of bleaching agents and disinfectants Cause of chronic lung disease?

Regular use of bleach leads to health problems
Using bleach every day increases the risk of developing a fatal lung disease. The regular use of bleach and other common disinfectants has been associated with a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Scientists at Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) have found that regular use of bleach and disinfectants increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The physicians published a press release on the results of their study at this year's European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan.

The daily use of disinfectants and bleach seems to contribute to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is also commonly referred to as smoker's lung. (Image: bilderzwerg / fotolia.com)

Researchers are investigating more than 55,000 US nurses
For their study, physicians examined more than 55,000 US nurses for signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The experts found that even a single weekly use of bleach or disinfectant increased the risk of COPD by about 32 percent.

What is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease??
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK alone. COPD describes a group of lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it difficult to move air in and out of the lungs because the airways have been narrowed by the disease. In England, nearly 25,000 people die each year from the effects of the disease, say the experts.

So far, only a connection between the use of disinfectants and asthma was known
Disinfectants have already been associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma. The new study shows for the first time a connection between specific chemicals for purification (quaternary ammonium compounds) and the formation of COPD.

Some occupations increase the risk of developing COPD
The potential effects of exposure to disinfectants on the development of COPD have received little attention so far, say the physicians. However, recent studies of European populations show that working as a cleaner is associated with an increased risk of developing COPD, says researcher Dr. med. Orianne Dumas of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research.

Healthcare workers also have a higher risk
The current study is the first to report a link between the use of disinfectants and COPD among health care workers. The scientists studied the specific chemicals to find out the causes of the relationship.
Some of the disinfectants identified here, such as bleaches and so-called quaternary ammonium compounds, are often also used in ordinary households. However, the potential effects of home use of disinfectants on the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are still unclear. Dumas. (As)