- Mycobacterium Tuberculosis" primary route of transmission is the respiratory tract
- Patients with active tuberculosis can expel liquid droplets that aerosolize when the patient coughs, sneezes or even speaks
- Transmission can take place with a minimal amount of inhaled bacilli
- Inanimate objects such as furniture, utensils and cloths do not transfer the disease
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis organism is susceptible to ultraviolet light
- Transmission rarely occurs outdoors due to dilution of the organism
- The transmission risk increases in patients who have lung disease such as asthma, COPD and emphysema
- Forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis can also be infectious[5]
- There is a case report of a health care worker who was infected while irrigating an abscess, it is believed that irrigation caused aerosolization of the bacteria
CDC - National Center for Health Statistics- Division of Tuberculosis Elimination.
http://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/basics/default.htm#rl March 2013. | 