Cochrane & Associates, LLC news

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, a concern that extends beyond residences to workplaces, schools, and other commercial or institutional spaces across Puerto Rico.

Everyday activities and materials often release microscopic pollutants that can affect breathing and overall well-being. Among the most common indoor respiratory irritants are:

Dust and Dust Mites: Th

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a type of staph that can be resistant to several antibiotics. The agency cautions that anyone can get a MRSA infection or carry MRSA. The risks increase for those with hospitalizations or nursing home stays, skin-to-skin contact with others, and exposure to crowded or unhygienic places.

MRSA can survive on some surfaces, like towels, razors, and furnitur

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes work-related asthma as asthma triggered by exposures at work. The agency reports that there are over 300 known substances in the workplace that can cause or worsen asthma.

Symptoms of work-related asthma are the same as those for non-work-related asthma, and may include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. NIOSH warns that asthma symptoms can come and go, and some workers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Group A Streptococcus (group A strep bacteria) can cause many different infections, ranging from minor to serious. The agency also warns the bacteria, of which Streptococcus pyogenes is the predominant species, can cause inflammatory diseases.

Examples of minor infections listed include impetigo, scarlet fever, and strep throat. Some of the serious infections listed by the CDC include cellulitis, necrotizin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports there are an estimated 450,000 cases of shigellosis, an infection caused by Shigella bacteria, in the United States each year. Unfortunately, a growing number of these infections involve drug-resistant Shigella.

The four species of Shigella listed by the CDC include:

Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States)
Shigella flexneri
Shigella boydii
Shigella dysenteriae