Tuberculosis Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities: Environmental Control and Personal Protection.
10.4046/trd.2016.79.4.234
- Author:
Ji Yeon LEE
1
Author Information
1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. jedidiah125@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Tuberculosis;
Infection Control;
Environment, Controlled;
Ventilation;
Personal Protective Equipment
- MeSH:
Delivery of Health Care;
Environment, Controlled;
Filtration;
Humans;
Infection Control*;
Personal Protective Equipment;
Tuberculosis*;
Ventilation;
Ventilators, Mechanical
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2016;79(4):234-240
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Transmission of tuberculosis (TB) is a recognized risk to patients and healthcare workers in healthcare settings. The literature review suggests that implementation of combination control measures reduces the risk of TB transmission. Guidelines suggest a three-level hierarchy of controls including administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection. Among environmental controls, installation of ventilation systems is a priority because ventilation reduces the number of infectious particles in the air. Natural ventilation is cost-effective but depends on climatic conditions. Supplemented intervention such as air-cleaning methods including high efficiency particulate air filtration and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation should be considered in areas where adequate ventilation is difficult to achieve. Personal protective equipment including particulate respirators provides additional benefit when administrative and environmental controls cannot assure protection.
