What are standard or universal precautions?

Standard precautions are those which should always be applied when dealing with any patients, including TB patients. These include:

• Hand washing and antisepsis
• The use of personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves)
• Appropriate handling of patient care equipment and soiled cloths
• Prevention of accidental needle stick/sharp injuries to healthworkers
• Environmental cleaning and spills management
• Appropriate handling of clinical waste (e.g. swabs).

For TB, the transmission-based precautions are those that protect people from airborne bacteria entering the body through inhalation, as you will now learn.