Transmission-Based Precautions

Transmission-based precautions are used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections that are spread through specific routes, including contact, droplet, or airborne transmission.

Contact precautions: Used for infections spread through direct or indirect contact with the patient or their environment. Examples include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. diff), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Droplet precautions: Used for infections spread through respiratory droplets generated by coughing, sneezing, or talking. Examples include influenza, pertussis, and meningococcal meningitis.

Airborne precautions: Used for infections spread through small droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air for long periods. Examples include tuberculosis (TB), measles, and varicella (chickenpox).