Chapter 7 – Tuberculosis Infection Control 192 Infectiousness The infectiousness of a TB patient is directly related to the number of droplet nuclei carrying M tuberculosis (tubercle bacilli) that are expelled into the air Depending on the environment, these tiny particles can remain suspended in the air for several hours M tuberculosis
latent TB infection This means you have only inactive (sleeping) TB germs in your body The inactive germs cannot be passed on to anyone else However, if these germs wake up or become active in your body and multiply, you will get sick with TB disease When TB germs are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease These germs
infection • You will not know you have TB infection unless you have a TB skin test or TB blood test • If left untreated, TB infection can turn into TB disease TB germs are passed through the air when a person who is sick with TB disease coughs, laughs, sings, or sneezes
Identification of Patients with Respiratory TB disease Within Hospitals Preventing Patient-to-Patient Transmission of M Tuberculosis Within Hospitals
tious unless the TB disease is located in the larynx based precautions and are used to prevent transmis- Patients with HIV TB co-infection may not have