What specific unanswered questions are you seeking answers to in this case?
Sunder: When it comes to the structural level, one specific issue is what a room needs to look like to counteract the spread of pathogens: what size should it be? Does it require specific building equipment and ventilation technology? What materials do we need to use? How can surfaces be cleaned and disinfected? These are some of the questions we need to ask, which is also why we see an urgent need for research in this area.
Which structural infection-control measures are already being implemented today?
Sunder: Several measures are already being taken today - for instance, isolation rooms for patients with highly contagious diseases or the use of air locks or specific surface materials. However, those are always just individual aspects. There is a lack of overall, comprehensive perspective on this subject matter. To gain this type of perspective, all stakeholders such as architects, hygienists, medical professionals, and microbiologists must come together, take a look at the problem and work together to come up with solutions.
How are hospital patients currently being isolated if they have contracted or are colonized by multidrug-resistant organisms?
Sunder: This primarily depends on the size of the hospital and the hospital ward. Usually, these patients are placed in isolation rooms or designated single-bed rooms. Emergency rooms also have preassigned rooms where patients can be isolated.