Airborne contamination in and around hospitals: effect of ventilation and survival of bioaerosols

Bioaerosols refer to the particles containing microbes, suspended in air and capable of transmitting diseases. These particles may be generated by humans, animals, inanimate objects, which differ in characteristics depending on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Despite strict infection control procedures, healthcare-acquired infections persist, rendering hospitals highly susceptible to infectious diseases transmission. Evidence suggests that patients, dentists, and healthcare workers are at a higher risk of acquiring infectious diseases. In-patient areas such as intensive care unit as well as areas with natural ventilation have been associated with higher bioaerosol concentrations compared with places where heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems are used to regulate the temperature and remove bioaerosols. Furthermore, the variations in land use in and around hospitals also determine the concentration of bioaerosols. This chapter explains the effect of bioaerosols and various measures that can be adopted to effectively reduce bioaerosols in clinical settings to control infections.