Document Detail


In china, students in crowded dormitories with a low ventilation rate have more common colds: evidence for airborne transmission.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22110607     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To test whether the incidence of common colds among college students in China is associated with ventilation rates and crowdedness in dormitories.
METHODS: In Phase I of the study, a cross-sectional study, 3712 students living in 1569 dorm rooms in 13 buildings responded to a questionnaire about incidence and duration of common colds in the previous 12 months. In Phase II, air temperature, relative humidity and CO(2) concentration were measured for 24 hours in 238 dorm rooms in 13 buildings, during both summer and winter. Out-to indoor air flow rates at night were calculated based on measured CO(2) concentrations.
RESULTS: In Phase I, 10% of college students reported an incidence of more than 6 common colds in the previous 12 months, and 15% reported that each infection usually lasted for more than 2 weeks. Students in 6-person dorm rooms were about 2 times as likely to have an incidence of common colds ≥6 times per year and a duration ≥2 weeks, compared to students in 3-person rooms. In Phase II, 90% of the measured dorm rooms had an out-to indoor air flow rate less than the Chinese standard of 8.3 L/s per person during the heating season. There was a dose-response relationship between out-to indoor air flow rate per person in dorm rooms and the proportion of occupants with annual common cold infections ≥6 times. A mean ventilation rate of 5 L/(s•person) in dorm buildings was associated with 5% of self reported common cold ≥6 times, compared to 35% at 1 L/(s•person).
CONCLUSION: Crowded dormitories with low out-to indoor airflow rates are associated with more respiratory infections among college students.
Authors:
Yuexia Sun; Zhigang Wang; Yufeng Zhang; Jan Sundell
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2011-11-16
Journal Detail:
Title:  PloS one     Volume:  6     ISSN:  1932-6203     ISO Abbreviation:  PLoS ONE     Publication Date:  2011  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-11-23     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101285081     Medline TA:  PLoS One     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  e27140     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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