Why is Isolation Important for Tuberculosis Patients?

Written by Hope Dunkleman, You First Services, Inc.

Tuberculosis (TB) can be transmitted in just about any setting. For healthcare facilities that typically treat a wide variety of patients, many with serious underlying conditions or compromised immune systems, TB exists as a constant and serious threat.

Depending on the environment, tiny particles containing TB can remain suspended in the air for several hours. For this reason, it is essential for hospitals and clinics to focus on airflow as part of a larger strategy to prevent TB from potentially spreading to other patients and staff. 

Additionally, for those diagnosed with TB, it is tremendously important that you isolate yourself to avoid the further spread of the disease.

How Do We Limit the Spread of Tuberculosis?

TB is a serious illness that can affect a person’s lungs and attack the bones, joints, brain, reproductive organs along with other parts of the human body. According to the International Society for Infectious Diseases, TB is one of the leading causes of preventable death in adults worldwide. 

You can get TB from breathing the same air as someone who is infected. Since it’s caused by an infected droplet in the air that goes into your lungs, it can be a quick exposure that can get a person infected.

With new medical advancements, we can now prevent and treat a case of TB. In general, infectiousness is known to decline rapidly after adequate treatment is started; however, the rate of decline varies from patient to patient.

To prevent this infection in yourself, it’s best to stay away from enclosed spaces and being in close contact with potentially contagious patients. Prolonged exposure is a leading cause that can turn into a colossal community case of TB.

Isolation Rooms in Healthcare Settings

Tuberculosis Isolation RoomAirborne illnesses are the most contagious because the air all around you is contagious and in a continuous airflow. You don’t want anyone to breathe in the infected air. In severe cases, hospitals use isolation rooms to control the infection. When hospital intervention is needed, it’s best to have a negative pressure isolation room over a positive pressure.

Many healthcare facilities use Airborne Infection Isolation (AII) rooms to keep the infected air inside of the room protecting everyone on the outside.

An AII room is a single-occupancy patient-care room in which environmental factors can be controlled to minimize the transmission of airborne pathogens. If a facility doesn’t have an AII room, patients should be placed in a room specifically designated to isolate patients infected with TB, or if possible, referred to a facility with an AII room.

Let SteriSpace Super-Power Your Tuberculosis Isolation Strategy

To create the best negative isolation room, you need SteriSpace Air Sterilization. SteriSpace easily integrates into an AII room to eliminate 99.9999% free of pathogens, viruses, and bacterial spores.

SteriSpace achieves the required 12 air changes per hour. Compared to alternative air treatment technologies, SteriSpace’s performance will not degrade with use. Whether it’s your first day or 1,000th day with the device, we strive to give you 100% satisfaction and ease of mind.

Let our experts show you the potential that SteriSpace Air Sterilization can bring to your hospital or healthcare facility’s TB isolation room. Reach out today and set up a meeting with our specialist to get started.

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