Maintaining a high negative pressure in airborne infection isolation rooms of hospitals can help limit the dispersion of airborne contaminants and dust, a study published in Annals of Work Exposures and Health found.
The researchers studied the containment capability of airborne infection isolation rooms, or AIIRs, by measuring air change rates of the patient room and anteroom (waiting room), pressure differences, contaminant removal and contaminant transmission during door openings and human movement. The researchers used a tracer gas method, which imitates the release of infectious agents from patients.
The study found a high air change rate in AIIRs does not ensure efficient removal of infectious agents in the breathing zone of a healthcare worker. Instead, the researchers found the local airflow patterns are more important. A high mean negative pressure between an AIIR and its surroundings was found to effectively curb particle transmission outside an AIIR.