title: Adverse health effects of humidifier disinfectants in Korea: lung toxicity of polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate.
abstract: Exposure to humidifier disinfectants was identified in 2011 as the potential cause of an outbreak of lung disease in Korea. It is estimated that over 8 million people have been exposed to humidifier disinfectants-chemicals added to the water used in humidifiers to prevent the growth of microorganisms-since their commercial introduction. The primary component of humidifier disinfectant products involved was polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG-P), a guanidine-based antimicrobial agent. Lesions observed in the lungs of patients were similar to those observed in laboratory animals exposed to PHMG-P. In this review, we outline the physicochemical and toxicological properties of PHMG-P, and introduce a putative mechanism for its lung toxicity based in large part on research findings to date.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Biochemical Toxicology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Japan.
authors.forename: Ha-Ryong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gi-Wook
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naganuma
authors.forename: Kyu-Hyuck
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006146:Guanidines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D000068998:Humidifiers; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D006146:Guanidines; C060540:polyhexamethyleneguanidine