Tuberculosis Infection and Latent Tuberculosis.
10.4046/trd.2016.79.4.201
- Author:
Seung Heon LEE
1
Author Information
1. Division of Pulmonary, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea. lee-sh@korea.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Tuberculosis;
Infection;
Transmission;
Infection Control;
Latent Tuberculosis
- MeSH:
Diagnosis;
Humans;
Infection Control;
Latent Tuberculosis*;
Mycobacterium tuberculosis;
Personal Protective Equipment;
Tuberculosis*
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2016;79(4):201-206
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Active tuberculosis (TB) has a greater burden of TB bacilli than latent TB and acts as an infection source for contacts. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is the state in which humans are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis without any clinical symptoms, radiological abnormality, or microbiological evidence. TB is transmissible by respiratory droplet nucleus of 1–5 µm in diameter, containing 1–10 TB bacilli. TB transmission is affected by the strength of the infectious source, infectiousness of TB bacilli, immunoresistance of the host, environmental stresses, and biosocial factors. Infection controls to reduce TB transmission consist of managerial activities, administrative control, engineering control, environmental control, and personal protective equipment provision. However, diagnosis and treatment for LTBI as a national TB control program is an important strategy on the precondition that active TB is not missed. Therefore, more concrete evidences for LTBI management based on clinical and public perspectives are needed.
