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Breaking Down Silos: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Mitigate Indoor Airborne Pathogen Transmission.
Alex Zhu1, William P Bahnfleth1, Richard Bruns1
1Alex Zhu, MSPH, is a Consultant, Baltimore, MD. William P. Bahnfleth, PhD, PE, is a Professor of Architectural Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA. Richard Bruns, PhD, is a Consultant, Max Welfare, Alexandria, VA. Giorgio Buonanno, PhD, is a Professor, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy. David Fisman, MD MPH, is a Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Cria O. Gregory, PhD, is Director, Division of State and Local Readiness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Charles N. Haas, PhD, LD, is the Betz Professor of Environmental Engineering, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. Benjamin Jones, EngD, is an Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Kazukiyo Kumagai, PhD, is Chief, Air Quality Section, California Department of Public Health, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA. Georgia K. Lagoudas, PhD, is a Senior Fellow, Pandemic Center, Brown University School of Public Health, Washington, DC. Yuguo Li, PhD, is Chair Professor of Building Environment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Alexander Linder, is a PhD Student, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Donald Milton, MD, DrPH, is Distinguished University Professor, Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Lidia Morawska, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, and Vice-Chancellor Fellow, Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey, United Kingdom. Scott W. Olesen, PhD, is Team Lead, Medical Countermeasures and Variants, Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington, DC. Paula Olsiewski, PhD, and Lew Radonovich, MD, are Contributing Scholars, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Baltimore, MD. Pawel Wargocki, PhD, is a Professor, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, DTU Sustain, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. Gigi K. Gronvall, PhD, is a Professor, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) is crucial for public health. This commentary calls for interdisciplinary research to bridge knowledge gaps in IAQ and reduce infectious disease risks in all indoor settings.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Engineering
- Public Health
Background:
- Indoor air quality (IAQ) is critical for mitigating respiratory disease transmission.
- Current understanding of IAQ's impact on health faces significant knowledge gaps.
- Engineering and health disciplines often operate in silos, hindering progress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the necessity of integrating engineering and health expertise for advancing IAQ research.
- To identify key research areas for improving IAQ and reducing disease spread.
- To offer guidance to policymakers, building designers, and funding bodies.
Main Methods:
- The study is a commentary highlighting existing knowledge gaps and proposing future research directions.
- It advocates for multidisciplinary approaches to IAQ challenges.
- Recommendations focus on understanding human infection variables, modeling disease transmission, and evaluating intervention effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Closing current IAQ knowledge gaps can significantly enhance IAQ applications and public health outcomes.
- Multidisciplinary research is essential for addressing complex factors in human infection and disease transmission.
- Layered interventions need further evaluation for their effectiveness in diverse indoor environments.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced collaboration between engineering and health sectors is vital for effective IAQ management.
- Targeted research can lead to cost-effective IAQ solutions for homes, schools, and workplaces.
- Improving IAQ is a key strategy for reducing infectious disease risks indoors.
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