Atmospheric CO2 monitoring to identify zones of increased airborne pathogen transmission risk in hospital settings

Measures to reduce airborne pathogen transmission in health care settings, such as increased air exchange, air decontamination, and reductions in peak occupancy, can be expensive and disruptive, particularly when employed in an untargeted manner. We report the empirical identification of high transmission risk zones in a tertiary hospital, using carbon dioxide-based assessments of air exchange. This rapid, cost-effective, and unobtrusive approach led to the targeted remediation of a high transmission risk zone. •Hospital settings can be a high risk for airborne pathogen transmission.•Many infection control strategies are expensive and disruptive.•Monitoring carbon dioxide levels can identify high transmission risk settings.•Measuring carbon dioxide is cheap and discrete.•Improving air quality in targeted areas reduces airborne pathogen transmission risk.