What type of isolation is typically used for patients with Tuberculosis?

The correct answer, which is respiratory isolation, is focused specifically on minimizing the transmission of infectious agents that are spread through respiratory droplets. Tuberculosis (TB) is primarily transmitted when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, releasing tiny droplets into the air. By employing respiratory isolation, healthcare providers ensure that patients with TB are kept in a controlled environment, utilizing specialized masks or respiratory equipment to prevent the spread of the bacteria to others.

Respiratory isolation typically includes placing the patient in a negative pressure room, where the airflow is directed inward, preventing possible contamination of other areas in the healthcare facility. Staff and visitors are generally required to wear masks to further reduce the risk of inhaling the TB bacteria.

The other types of isolation, while useful in their specific contexts, do not directly address the airborne nature of TB transmission. Protective isolation is utilized to protect immunocompromised patients from infections, contact isolation focuses on preventing the spread of infections via direct or indirect contact, and aerosol isolation is not a commonly recognized term in infection control protocols.