Thursday, September 17, 2009
The spread of swine flu and other infectious diseases could
be dramatically reduced by revolutionizing the way that the places we live in
are designed and built.
That's the view of experts investigating how the
micro-organisms that cause disease behave in buildings and associated
infrastructure.
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC), researchers at the new 'Healthy Infrastructure Research
Centre' (HIRC), at University College London, are studying the behavior of
pathogens* in places like hospitals and schools and drainage and sewage
systems.
HIRC aims to: spot characteristics in
building/infrastructure design that encourage diseases to spread; and pinpoint
changes that can be made to infrastructure (in design, materials, maintenance
etc) to restrict pathogens' ability to survive and move around there.
"It's well known that the infrastructure we rely on has
an impact on our health, but understanding in this area is very limited,"
says Dr Ka man Lai, who is leading the initiative. "HIRC will therefore
explore the role played by air conditioning, ventilation systems, drains,
pipes, and the size and layout of rooms, for example, in the transmission of
airborne diseases and diseases spread via surface contact.
"My vision is that, within the next 10 years, we will
completely transform infrastructure function, design and construction and so
create a new disease-resistant environment fit for the 21st century. We hope
that, within 3 years, HIRC will start generating insights and recommendations
leading directly to healthier infrastructure."
Every year, infectious diseases (such as seasonal flu,
tuberculosis, hospital 'superbugs' and most recently swine flu) affect millions
of people around the world. Their spread can be affected by many factors,
including temperature, humidity, the presence of surfaces where pathogens can
linger and the availability of 'pathways' enabling them to move around freely.
As well as investigating how new infrastructure can restrict
disease transmission, HIRC will investigate ways of making old infrastructure
healthier**. It will also evaluate the precise impact that simple steps such as
improving ventilation (e.g. by opening more windows) and understanding the
influence hand-washing facilities could have in stopping the spread of
pathogens.
Teaming up with academics and companies around the world,
four core researchers will work at HIRC. They specialise in architecture and
building engineering, environmental microbiology, technology and innovation,
and people and behaviour.
The result of HIRC's work could be a significant reduction
in the number of people infected with debilitating and sometimes potentially
dangerous diseases – cutting the burden on healthcare resources and the number
of working days lost to sickness.
HIRC has already started an initiative with the North East
& North Central London Health Protection Unit to investigate the
relationship between physical environment and tuberculosis transmission in an
office. HIRC is also working with Great
Ormond Street
Hospital to improve some
infection control practices.
The 5-year project 'Infrastructure and 21st Century
Infectious Diseases' began in April 2009 and will receive EPSRC funding of just
over £1 million.
*A pathogen is a micro-organism that causes disease.
** This is an important issue. In 2003, for example, a
poorly maintained drainage system in a Hong Kong
housing estate helped to spread the SARS virus, causing 42 deaths on the
estate.
Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council