Which precautions are indicated for a patient with active tuberculosis?

• A. Droplet precautions
• B. Contact precautions
• C. Airborne precautions
• D. Standard precautions

Answer: (C)

Active tuberculosis spreads through tiny airborne particles that can linger in the air and travel beyond immediate contact. Because of this, protection relies on airborne precautions rather than just droplet or standard precautions. So care for a patient with active TB involves placing them in an isolation room designed to keep air within the room from seeping out (negative pressure) and ensuring health care workers use a properly fitted respirator, such as an N95, when entering the room. If the patient must be moved outside the room, they should wear a mask to reduce spread, and the room doors should remain closed to maintain the air flow.

Droplet precautions protect against larger droplets that travel only short distances and are not the main route of TB transmission, so they aren’t sufficient here. Contact precautions address transmission by direct contact with contaminated surfaces or the patient, which isn’t the primary risk with TB. Standard precautions are the baseline for all patients but don’t specifically address the airborne spread risk of TB. Airborne precautions are indicated until the patient is no longer contagious, following appropriate treatment and institutional guidelines.