This thing on the pillow can actually cause leukemia

Pillows are people's good friends when they fall asleep. The benefits of pillows are not only related to the quality of sleep, but also have a great impact on the breeding of some diseases! So what kind of pillow is good? Have you ever paid attention to the hygiene of your pillow? Pillows are our daily sleep "necessities", which can make us sleep sweetly all night. But sometimes it can keep us awake at night and even cause various diseases. Here we reveal the secrets of pillows.

Unhygienic pillows may increase the risk of leukemia

Aspergillus, the most common fungus found in pillows, is most likely to cause illness. Aspergillus is a major infectious cause of death in leukemia and bone marrow transplant patients. And for adults with asthma, the fungus can also make their condition worse. After taking samples of the materials in the pillows, the researchers found that the pillows people use contain a large amount of fungi. There are thousands of fungal spores in every gram of pillow material, and on average each pillow contains more than 1 million fungal spores.

The researchers found large numbers of fungal spores in each pillow, with spores belonging to four to 16 different species in each sample. Researchers found more fungi in synthetic pillows in particular. Under a microscope, fungi are particularly obvious in synthetic pillows. These different types of fungi are often found on damp walls or in showers.

What is Aspergillus

Aspergillus is a very common fungus that travels through the air and is often found in cellars, home flower pots, fertilizers, computers, etc. Aspergillosis, caused by the fungus Aspergillus, occurs primarily in the lungs and sinuses, but can spread to other organs such as the brain, and infection is becoming increasingly common among other patients.

Immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients, AIDS patients, and those receiving steroid therapy, can also develop life-threatening Aspergillus pneumonia and sinusitis. Fortunately, pillows in European hospitals are wrapped in plastic film, so it is impossible for infection to occur in the hospital. However, after the patient is discharged from the hospital, the pillows at home may be old and infected with fungi, so the patient is at risk of infection.

Aspergillus can also exacerbate asthma, especially in adults who have had asthma for many years, and can cause allergic sinusitis in patients with allergic tendencies. Frequent contact with fungi in bed may cause trouble for you. Fungi can enter the lung cavities caused by tuberculosis, causing your physical condition to deteriorate and lung bleeding. It can also cause a range of animal and plant diseases.

One expert said: "The new findings have potentially important implications for people with allergic lung disease and compromised immune systems, especially those returning home from hospital."

Another expert added:

"Since patients spend a third of their time sleeping and their respiratory systems are in close contact with pillows that harbor fungi, these findings have important implications for patients with respiratory diseases, especially those with asthma and sinusitis."