A sterile and disposable ventilator is described in which all of the surfaces of the air-contacting component that contact patient airflow are sterile and disposable. A method of reducing or preventing ventilator cross contamination between a first patient and a second patient is also described that uses a sterile and disposable ventilator. The air-contacting component may be constructed in one-piece component and configured to operate with a mechanical ventilator component. The sterile and disposable ventilator of the present disclosure allows for efficient and cost-effective installation of a sterile air-contacting component that may be replaced between patients. The sterile and disposable ventilator reduces or eliminates ventilator inter-patient bacterial cross-contamination, and hospital-acquired infection rates may be resultantly lowered. Because current expensive bacterial air filters and other complex maintenance programs would be eliminated, the invention(s) of this disclosure also would simplify patient care and reduce cost.
