What is the purpose of a negative-pressure room in infection control?

• A. To prevent contaminated air from escaping into other areas by maintaining lower pressure than surrounding areas.
• B. To maintain equal pressure with surrounding areas.
• C. To increase airflow to neighboring spaces.
• D. To vent contaminated air directly outside the building.

Answer: (A)

A negative-pressure room creates a barrier for air by making the room’s pressure lower than the surrounding areas. Because of this pressure difference, air naturally flows into the room rather than out into hallways or adjacent spaces. This keeps potentially contaminated air contained inside the room. The room is equipped with a dedicated ventilation system that exhausts air outside or through high-efficiency filtration so any pathogens are removed before it’s released. Keeping the door closed helps maintain the pressure difference. This setup prevents the spread of airborne infections to other parts of the facility. If the pressures were equal, contaminated air could mix with other areas; if air were pushed outward, it could spread; and venting outside without proper filtration could release pathogens into the environment.