Are positive-pressure ventilation lobby rooms effective for protective and source isolation?
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Hilary Humphreys; Alida Fe Talento; T.T. Poovelikunnel; A. O'Hara; A. Barakat; V. Newmann
- Source
- The Journal of Hospital Infection
- Subject
- Microbiology (medical)
medicine.medical_specialty
Isolation (health care)
Health Personnel
Air Microbiology
030501 epidemiology
Article
law.invention
Patient Isolation
Positive-Pressure Respiration
03 medical and health sciences
law
Aspergillosis
Humans
Medicine
Hospital Design and Construction
Positive pressure ventilation
Patient isolation
Cross Infection
Infection Control
0303 health sciences
030306 microbiology
business.industry
Aspergillus fumigatus
General Medicine
Environment, Controlled
Engineering controls
Infectious Diseases
Ventilation (architecture)
Emergency medicine
0305 other medical science
business
- Language
- ISSN
- 0195-6701
High-efficiency particulate air supplied to a positive-pressure ventilation lobby (PPVL) in isolation rooms offers the dual advantage of protective and source isolation. This study demonstrates the in-use validity of PPVL rooms for protective isolation of patients. Of the 48 PPVL air samples investigated, Aspergillus fumigatus was detected from only one (2%) sample. Local and remote monitoring of the PPVL rooms is essential for the safety of patients and healthcare workers. Remote and point-of-use engineering controls are essential for ongoing ventilation monitoring, but this should be complemented by visual inspection of the isolation suite. Periodic microbiological monitoring should also be considered with other control measures.