Infection Control & SafetyQuestion 57 of 100
A patient with suspected active pulmonary tuberculosis arrives at the clinic. Which precautions are required?
a.Contact precautions with gown and gloves only
b.Airborne precautions, including a fit-tested N95 respirator and placing the patient in an airborne infection isolation room
c.Droplet precautions with a surgical mask worn only by the medical assistant
d.Standard precautions alone, since tuberculosis is not contagious in a clinic
Explanation
Tuberculosis spreads through droplet nuclei that remain suspended in air, so airborne precautions with a fit-tested N95 or higher respirator and a negative-pressure isolation room are required. Gown and gloves address contact spread, which is not the main route for TB. A surgical mask does not filter the small airborne particles that transmit tuberculosis.
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