Tuberculosis coursework

Other high-risk populations for TB infection include people with poor immune systems such as those with advanced HIV/AIDs, people with poor nutritional status among others. The infectiousness of TB is determined by various patient factors including the aforementioned factors in the healthy population. The infectiousness of a TB patient is determined by the number of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are expelled in the air by an infected patient. The level of infectiousness by a patient is determined by: the treatment level of the patient- patients who have had consistent and successful first phase of treatment evidenced by a negative AFB sputum smears done 8-24 hours with one being a early morning sputum specimen have a lower risk of infection (Mathema et al.

Other determinants of infectiousness is the level of medication compliance; patients who have complied effectively with treatment for the initial 2 weeks of care and treatment or longer and have reduced clinical symptoms such as decreased cough and fever are considered to be of less infectious. The third level on the preventive hierarchy is the utilization of personal protective equipment by health providers and other staff, patients or relatives when in areas that have a considerably high risk of TB infection. Persona protective wears such as masks and respirators. The use of personal protective wear protects health workers from droplets expelled into the air by infectious patients. The respiratory control measures include the implementation of a respiratory protection program within the health care settings, training of healthcare workers on respiratory protection and providing education to patients on respiratory hygiene which includes cough etiquette.