A Quarantine Module was a module that was used by Starfleet at transit points for the treatment of highly contagious diseases that crews encountered in space. Quarantine modules were often self contained units, capable of existing outside the structure of a starbase in open space. Normally, in such cases they were connected to the starbase via an umbilical line. However if desired the unit could be modified by placing life support units in the quarantine module, allowing for the module to be disconnected from the main structure. This permitted the physical isolation of people carrying contagious diseases.