What isolation precautions are expected for a patient with active TB?

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

Answer: (A)

Active TB spreads through tiny aerosol particles that can remain suspended in air and be inhaled by others. Because of this airborne transmission, the appropriate precautions require a private room with negative pressure and adequate ventilation, along with ensuring that healthcare workers wear a fit-tested N95 respirator when entering the room. If the patient must be transported, they should wear a mask to reduce spread. Standard precautions are the baseline for all patients, but they don’t prevent inhalation of aerosolized TB. Droplet precautions address larger droplets that fall to the ground quickly, and contact precautions focus on preventing spread via contaminated surfaces or direct contact—neither fully protects against airborne transmission. Therefore, airborne isolation precautions are the correct approach for active TB.