The infectiousness of tuberculosis (TB) is directly related to the number of Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms expelled into the air by an infected patient.
Step-by-Step Justification:
TB Transmission Mechanism:
TB spreads through airborne droplet nuclei, which remain suspended for long periods.
Factors Affecting Infectiousness:
High bacterial load in sputum: Smear-positive patients are much more infectious.
Coughing and sneezing frequency: More expelled droplets increase exposure risk.
A. Hand hygiene habits: TB is airborne, not transmitted via hands.
B. Presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in blood: TB is not typically hematogenous, and blood AFB does not correlate with infectiousness.
C. Tuberculin skin test (TST) >20 mm: TST indicates prior exposure, not infectiousness.
CBIC Infection Control References:
APIC Text, "Tuberculosis Transmission and Control Measures".
Contribute your Thoughts:
Chosen Answer:
This is a voting comment (?). You can switch to a simple comment. It is better to Upvote an existing comment if you don't have anything to add.
Submit