Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (837 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Supplying a building or house, their rooms and corridors, with fresh air. The controlling of the environment thus may be in public or domestic sites and in medical or non-medical locales. (From Dorland, 28th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Ventilations.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Environment, Controlled
- See also
- Confined Spaces
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 6,701 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Ventilation” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 1,034 of them (15.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 2,928 records.
Reviews account for 457 records (6.8%) and meta-analyses for 21. Randomized controlled trials number 79 (1.2%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 2,928 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,345 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,394 |
| 2020 onward | 1,034 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 457 | 6.8% |
| Meta-analyses | 21 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 79 | 1.2% |
Method: PubMed query "Ventilation"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in public health and nutrition
Population and nutrition studies mostly observe what people eat, breathe or are exposed to and then look for links with health, which shows association and not proof of cause. Self-reported diet is imprecise, people who eat or live differently also differ in other ways, and effects measured across a population may not apply to one person. Check the study design, how exposure was measured, what else was accounted for and the size of the effect, not only whether it was statistically significant.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review and Extension of CO₂-Based Methods to Determine Ventilation Rates with Application to School Classrooms | 2017 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 84 | cc by PMID 28165398 · DOI · PMC5334699 |
| The Effects of Ventilation, Humidity, and Temperature on Bacterial Growth and Bacterial Genera Distribution | 2022 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 72 | cc by PMID 36430064 · DOI · PMC9691097 |
| The risk of indoor sports and culture events for the transmission of COVID-19 | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 72 | cc by PMID 34413294 · DOI · PMC8376924 |
| Evaluation of the Digital Ventilated Cage® system for circadian phenotyping | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 6 | cc by PMID 39880968 · DOI · PMC11779816 |
Review and Extension of CO₂-Based Methods to Determine Ventilation Rates with Application to School Classrooms [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The ventilation rate (VR) is a key parameter affecting indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the energy consumption of buildings.
- Closing excerpt
- Improved VR measurements can benefit many applications, including research examining the linkage between ventilation and health.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (258 words)
The ventilation rate (VR) is a key parameter affecting indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the energy consumption of buildings. This paper reviews the use of CO₂ as a "natural" tracer gas for estimating VRs, focusing on applications in school classrooms. It provides details and guidance for the steady-state, build-up, decay and transient mass balance methods. An extension to the build-up method and an analysis of the post-exercise recovery period that can increase CO₂ generation rates are presented. Measurements in four mechanically-ventilated school buildings demonstrate the methods and highlight issues affecting their applicability. VRs during the school day fell below recommended minimum levels, and VRs during evening and early morning were on the order of 0.1 h-1, reflecting shutdown of the ventilation systems. The transient mass balance method was the most flexible and advantageous method given the low air change rates and dynamic occupancy patterns observed in the classrooms. While the extension to the build-up method improved stability and consistency, the accuracy of this and the steady-state method may be limited. Decay-based methods did not reflect the VR during the school day due to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system shutdown. Since the number of occupants in classrooms changes over the day, the VR expressed on a per person basis (e.g., L·s-1·person-1) depends on the occupancy metric. If occupancy measurements can be obtained, then the transient mass balance method likely will provide the most consistent and accurate results among the CO₂-based methods. Improved VR measurements can benefit many applications, including research examining the linkage between ventilation and health.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 28165398 · DOI · PMC5334699
The Effects of Ventilation, Humidity, and Temperature on Bacterial Growth and Bacterial Genera Distribution [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundBacteria are readily nourished in airtight environments with high humidity, such as storage cabinets, clothing closets, and corners, where ventilation is normally low and humidity is high.
- Closing excerpt
- High temperatures greatly increased bacterial growth, but ventilation could reduce the degree of this increase.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (188 words)
BackgroundBacteria are readily nourished in airtight environments with high humidity, such as storage cabinets, clothing closets, and corners, where ventilation is normally low and humidity is high.ObjectivesWe characterized the role of humidity and ventilation in bacterial growth and genus distribution at different temperatures (26 °C and 34 °C).MethodsFresh pork, which was used as the substrate for bacterial culture, was placed in storage cabinets. Bacterial growth and genera distribution on the surface of pork placed in a storage cabinet under different temperatures (26 °C and 34 °C); relative humidity levels (RH: 50%, 70%, 90%); and ventilation conditions (no ventilation and low, medium, and high levels of ventilation) were assessed by rDNA sequencing.ResultsIncreased ventilation and reduced humidity significantly decreased bacterial growth at 26 °C and 34 °C. The contribution of increased ventilation to the reduction in bacterial growth exceeded that of decreased humidity. Ventilation had the greatest effect on reducing bacterial growth compared to the unventilated conditions at 70% RH. At 34 °C, medium and high levels of ventilation were required to reduce bacterial growth. High temperatures greatly increased bacterial growth, but ventilation could reduce the degree of this increase.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36430064 · DOI · PMC9691097
The risk of indoor sports and culture events for the transmission of COVID-19 [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Nearly all mass gathering events worldwide were banned at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were suspected of presenting a considerable risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
- Closing excerpt
- Presuming an effective ventilation system, indoor mass gathering events with suitable hygiene practices have a very small, if any, effect on epidemic spread.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (179 words)
Nearly all mass gathering events worldwide were banned at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were suspected of presenting a considerable risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We investigated the risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 by droplets and aerosols during an experimental indoor mass gathering event under three different hygiene practices, and used the data in a simulation study to estimate the resulting burden of disease under conditions of controlled epidemics. Our results show that the mean number of measured direct contacts per visitor was nine persons and this can be reduced substantially by appropriate hygiene practices. A comparison of two versions of ventilation with different air exchange rates and different airflows found that the system which performed worst allowed a ten-fold increase in the number of individuals exposed to infectious aerosols. The overall burden of infections resulting from indoor mass gatherings depends largely on the quality of the ventilation system and the hygiene practices. Presuming an effective ventilation system, indoor mass gathering events with suitable hygiene practices have a very small, if any, effect on epidemic spread.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34413294 · DOI · PMC8376924
Evaluation of the Digital Ventilated Cage® system for circadian phenotyping [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The study of circadian rhythms has been critically dependent upon analysing mouse home cage activity, typically employing wheel running activity under different lighting conditions.
- Closing excerpt
- We provide an evaluation of the strengths and limitations of this method, highlighting how the use of the DVC for studying circadian rhythms depends upon the research requirements of the end user.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (212 words)
The study of circadian rhythms has been critically dependent upon analysing mouse home cage activity, typically employing wheel running activity under different lighting conditions. Here we assess a novel method, the Digital Ventilated Cage (DVC®, Tecniplast SpA, Italy), for circadian phenotyping. Based upon capacitive sensors mounted under black individually ventilated cages with inbuilt LED lighting, each cage becomes an independent light-controlled chamber. Home cage activity in C57BL/6J mice was recorded under a range of lighting conditions, along with circadian clock-deficient cryptochrome-deficient mice (Cry1-/-, Cry2-/- double knockout). C57BL/6J mice exhibited a 24 h period under light/dark conditions, with a free-running period of 23.5 h under constant dark, and period lengthening under constant light. Animals displayed expected phase shifting responses to jet-lag and nocturnal light pulses. Sex differences in circadian parameters and phase shifting responses were also observed. Cryptochrome-deficient mice showed subtle changes in activity under light/dark conditions and were arrhythmic under constant dark, as expected. Our results show the suitability of the DVC system for circadian behavioural screens, accurately detecting circadian period, circadian disruption, phase shifts and mice with clock defects. We provide an evaluation of the strengths and limitations of this method, highlighting how the use of the DVC for studying circadian rhythms depends upon the research requirements of the end user.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39880968 · DOI · PMC11779816
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment - a multidisciplinary systematic review [5]
- Research article Factors involved in the aerosol transmission of infection and control of ventilation in healthcare premises [6]
- Research article Indoor air quality, ventilation and health symptoms in schools: an analysis of existing information [7]
- Research article Small droplet aerosols in poorly ventilated spaces and SARS-CoV-2 transmission [8]
- Research article Dismantling myths on the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [9]
- Research article Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature [10]
References
- Batterman S. Review and Extension of CO₂-Based Methods to Determine Ventilation Rates with Application to School Classrooms. . 2017. PMID 28165398 · DOI · PMC5334699
- Qiu Y, Zhou Y, Chang Y, Liang X, Zhang H, Lin X, et al.. The Effects of Ventilation, Humidity, and Temperature on Bacterial Growth and Bacterial Genera Distribution. . 2022. PMID 36430064 · DOI · PMC9691097
- Moritz S, Gottschick C, Horn J, Popp M, Langer S, Klee B, et al.. The risk of indoor sports and culture events for the transmission of COVID-19. . 2021. PMID 34413294 · DOI · PMC8376924
- Tir S, Foster RG, Peirson SN. Evaluation of the Digital Ventilated Cage® system for circadian phenotyping. . 2025. PMID 39880968 · DOI · PMC11779816
- Li Y, Leung GM, Tang JW, Yang X, Chao CY, Lin JZ, et al.. Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment - a multidisciplinary systematic review. Indoor Air. 2007. PMID 17257148 · DOI
- Tang JW, Li Y, Eames I, Chan PK, Ridgway GL. Factors involved in the aerosol transmission of infection and control of ventilation in healthcare premises. J Hosp Infect. 2006. PMID 16916564 · DOI · PMC7114857
- Daisey JM, Angell WJ, Apte MG. Indoor air quality, ventilation and health symptoms in schools: an analysis of existing information. Indoor Air. 2003. PMID 12608926 · DOI
- Somsen GA, van Rijn C, Kooij S, Bem RA, Bonn D. Small droplet aerosols in poorly ventilated spaces and SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Lancet Respir Med. 2020. PMID 32473123 · DOI · PMC7255254
- Tang JW, Bahnfleth WP, Bluyssen PM, Buonanno G, Jimenez JL, Kurnitski J, et al.. Dismantling myths on the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). J Hosp Infect. 2021. PMID 33453351 · DOI · PMC7805396
- Sundell J, Levin H, Nazaroff WW, Cain WS, Fisk WJ, Grimsrud DT, et al.. Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature. Indoor Air. 2011. PMID 21204989 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.