How Can We Prevent the Transmission of Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a rapidly spreading disease that can be transmitted widely among people. It is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract. Therefore, when discovering someone with tuberculosis, it is necessary to wear a mask properly. Tuberculosis patients should self-isolate or go to the hospital for isolation. All items used by tuberculosis patients need to be disinfected. Babies in the family must be vaccinated against tuberculosis to prevent transmission.

Step 1: Preventing tuberculosis requires three aspects: controlling the source of infection, cutting off the transmission route, and protecting susceptible populations. Patients with tuberculosis bacilli in their sputum should be isolated for proper treatment. Tuberculosis is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract. It is advisable for patients with tuberculosis to wear masks when going out to prevent the spread of tuberculosis bacilli to normal individuals through the respiratory tract. For those who are physically weak and susceptible to infection, appropriate measures should be taken if the tuberculin test is positive.

Step 2: After discovering that a family member has tuberculosis, they can choose to be hospitalized or treated at home. When tuberculosis bacilli are still present in the patient's sputum, it indicates that the patient's condition is still active, and active treatment is required while isolation measures should be taken to prevent transmission to family members. The sputum of patients with tuberculosis bacilli is contagious and must be strictly managed.

Step 3: Tuberculosis patients should not spit randomly as their sputum contains tuberculosis bacilli, which can be carried by dust in the air and inhaled by individuals with low resistance, potentially leading to infection. They should spit their sputum into a paper and dispose of it by burning to kill the tuberculosis bacilli in the sputum. If the sputum of a tuberculosis patient turns yellow, it indicates secondary bacterial infection, and anti-inflammatory treatment is required.

Step 4: When eating, it is advisable for tuberculosis patients to use separate utensils from family members and to use serving chopsticks to place food in a separate plate for the patient. Although tuberculosis is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract, it is still important to take precautions in daily life. Family members who frequently contact tuberculosis patients should undergo a tuberculin test, and those who have close contact with tuberculosis patients and have a positive tuberculin test result may receive prophylactic chemotherapy.

Step 5: Fresh milk must be disinfected before consumption as it may contain bovine tuberculosis bacilli, which can be killed through high-temperature sterilization. Drinking unsterilized fresh milk can allow bovine tuberculosis bacilli to enter the body, potentially leading to tuberculosis infection, especially when resistance is low. If a tuberculosis patient swallows their sputum instead of spitting it out, intestinal tuberculosis may develop.

Step 6: When someone in the family is diagnosed with tuberculosis, it is advisable to have them sleep in a separate room with good ventilation. Tuberculosis is transmitted through the air, and frequent contact with a tuberculosis patient in a closed environment, especially without prior vaccination and with low resistance, can easily lead to tuberculosis bacilli infection and the development of tuberculosis and other organ-specific forms of the disease. Therefore, it is best to avoid frequent sharing of sleeping spaces with tuberculosis patients, especially those with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Step 7: Children should be vaccinated against tuberculosis at birth, and if vaccination is delayed due to illness, it should be catch-up vaccinated later. Vaccination helps the body develop immunity against the bacteria, resulting in mild or no symptoms when exposed to the bacteria again. Therefore, it is crucial for children to receive tuberculosis vaccines as per the recommended schedule.