My Uncle, who is in his 60s was recently diagnosed with Tuberculosis of the Lungs. Although he has commenced treatment, I will appreciate it if you can let me know how to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the family.
Godwin (by SMS)
A chest X-ray should be done on family members of your Uncle’s, especially those who are in the high-risk group, like a diabetic patient or members of the family who are given immunosuppressant for other illnesses. They are the most likely and vulnerable people to catch an infection. If a mother is suffering from active TB in the house, it is necessary to check for a TB infection in the children and if the screening tests show latent TB a treatment for the same TB should be planned.
Your Uncle’s family members should ensure that your Uncle adheres to his medication and follows proper hygiene rules to get rid of the infection soon. Family members should also ensure that they wear face masks when in close contact with your Uncle as well as wash their hands after any contact with him.