Humidifier disinfectant: 78 deaths and still in progress

South Korea had a rapid industrialization after 1960s. 81.5 % of the country’s population lives in urban areas (1). A study shows 37.2 % of citizen use a humidifier and half of them employ humidifier disinfectants (2). It is very popular among urban citizen because of closed dry atmosphere in winter season. In 2011, unconfirmed viral lung disease was reported as a cause of pregnant death by Korean Center for Disease Control (3). Chemical disinfectant in humidifier was a major contributor agent to lung disease. Victims have been increased up to 78 deaths, 7 transplanted and 147 patients in Oct 2012 (Table 1).