A 45-year-old man with HIV presents with subacute cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss. He lives in an urban Canadian centre but recently worked...

Question

A 45-year-old man with HIV presents with subacute cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss. He lives in an urban Canadian centre but recently worked in a remote First Nations community with high tuberculosis incidence. Chest X-ray shows apical cavitation. Which infection-control step is most appropriate while awaiting sputum testing?

Accepted Answer

Place the patient in airborne isolation and use N95 respirators

Answer

No isolation is required because he is immunocompromised

Answer

Standard precautions only

Answer

Use droplet isolation only

Answer

Isolate only if sputum smear returns positive

ca-mccqe1 MCQ (SBA): Suspected pulmonary tuberculosis