Check out, your ill health could be a fallout of Sick building syndrome

Neeraj Sethi, 25, had an addictive habit of staying in air-conditioned environment through out the day ever since he started working with a call centre. After a few months he developed incessant coughing. Doctors were baffled at his condition. "We had ruled out common cold, flu or even worse tuberculosis. After indepth bronchoscopy, it was found that the patient suffered from fungal infection in the lungs," said Dr Jaleel Parkar, chest physician at Lilavati Hospital in Bandra.

Parkar gets at least one to two patients a month who suffer from respiratory disorders due to staying in closed AC spaces for long hours.

Employees working in multinational companies or call centres usually suffer from sick building syndrome (SBS), due to poor quality of indoor air. "They come to us with headaches, body aches, running nose and chest infections. After a slew of tests, we zero in on fungal infections. Anti-fungal drugs are administered either orally or injected. But they have an adverse effect on kidneys if given in high dosages," said Parkar.

Major sources of indoor air pollution (IAP) that trigger asthma are dust mites, molds, micro-organisms, pets and cockroaches, cites a study published by Sir Hurkisondas Narottamdas Medical Research Society. The study interviews 754 subjects, including 489 asthmatics, and concludes that 98.8 percent of the cohort was not aware of the threat and components of IAP.

Dr Parkar said unclean AC ducts usually carry bacteria and fungus which pollute the indoor air. "The fungus is concentrated inside the ducts in shape of huge balls. Also ducts are contaminated with pigeon droppings which cause chest problems in patients."

In a study conducted by a market research group in over 1,500 subjects, panning over seven cities including Mumbai, 75 percent of the Mumbai households were found to be having no clue about the fact that even indoor air can be of a poor quality.

"Very few persons know that there is a scientific way to deal with indoor air pollution in India. The awareness is very low. Sick building syndrome often renders people ill. They start feeling better once they step out and take in fresh air," said Satinder Kaur, a research scholar with National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI) in Worli, Mumbai, who is working on a study related to IAP.

What can give you Sick Building Syndrome?
Particulate matter – Chullah (mud stove), stove, dust from construction debris
Volatile organic compound – Mosquito coils, incenses, oil paints, tobacco smoke, wood polish, air-fresheners, pesticides, deodorants,
Indoor radiation – Television, radio
Biological contaminants – Dust mites, cob webs, pigeon feathers, fungi, rat urine and faeces, pets, footwear dust, house dust