One of our employees has family member with TB

[advancebooking]

We have a staff member whose father has TB. Is this a risk to us? He's been in and out of hospital and our worker goes to pick him up all the time etc.

 

I presume if our worker ever comes in sick / coughing we should send her home just in case.

 

She we ask her to get tested for TB? What about her daughter who comes to our business all the time?

thanks

[FritsSikkink]

Google is your friend:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis

[watcharacters]

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis

 

"When people with active pulmonary TB cough, sneeze, speak, sing, or spit, they expel infectious aerosol droplets 0.5 to 5.0 µm in diameter. A single sneeze can release up to 40,000 droplets."

 

Good reason for people to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing.

 

 

[Sheryl]

TB is not as easy to catch as many assume if you have a healthy immune system. Needs close contact with someone who has active pulmonary TB still in the infectious stage. Specifically you have to inhale their respuratory secretions so unlikely to contact from someone who is not coughing or sneezing.

 

Nonetheless your employee should certainly be screened for her own benefit as well as yours and it is surprising if this was not already done.

 

Should she turn out to have active TB have her wear a mask at work until she is no longer sputum positive.

 

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

[RJRS1301]

Sheryl  Is Mantoux testing routine in Thailand?

 

Edited June 16, 2019 by RJRS1301

[RJRS1301]

Supplementary question, is BCG the only effective vaccine, and how long is it effective? 

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Sheryl  Is Mantoux testing routine in Thailand?

 

No, because BCG is routinely given in infancy.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Supplementary question, is BCG the only effective vaccine, and how long is it effective? 

 

BCHG's effectiveness is limited to preventing extra-pulmonary TB in children. And it is only partially effective even for that.

 

It is not used in Adults.

 

 

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

BCHG's effectiveness is limited to preventing extra-pulmonary TB in children. And it is only partially effective even for that.

 

It is not used in Adults.

 

 

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[Sara De Voeken]

BCG is only given routinely to children born in Asia - if you are worried if you were vaccinated or not, I did the BCG test at medconsult and is very cheap, only 500 baht or so.

[Sheryl]

Patients with a positive TB skin test indicates an active or latent infection somewhere in the body. In the US  where I worked, they recommended treating all positive skin tests. Chest X-Rays only indicate an active pulmonary infection that could be contagious. Employees couldn't work in the hospital until cleared by an infectious disease MD.  

Not necessarily the case for people who tecei ed BCG vaccine as that alone may cause posit8ve rezult.

Treatment of people who are tuberculin positive is recommended only in populations where they are a small minority. It is not done in most parts of Asia.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[advancebooking]

On 6/16/2019 at 1:16 PM, DonDoRondo said:

Some years ago in the course of my employment I was exposed to someone with TB.  While I did not

get an active case, my TB skin test came back positive and I had to take INH for one year.  That is

a medication with a number of side unpleasant side effects, including GI.

  

Be careful OP.

during that time you were positive were you contagious to other people?

 

Should I be sending my worker off for a TB skin test?

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, advancebooking said:

during that time you were positive were you contagious to other people?

 

Should I be sending my worker off for a TB skin test?

I reckon so, along with all the others, surprised it has not already happened. Sheryl will know the current protocols though.

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by RJRS1301

[Sheryl]

No, he would not have been infectious. people with latent TB are not infectious to others.

 

Having your worker get a skin test will be of little benefit. If your worker has a cough, should get a chest Xray.

[RJRS1301]

16 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

No, he would not have been infectious. people with latent TB are not infectious to others.

 

Having your worker get a skin test will be of little benefit. If your worker has a cough, should get a chest Xray.

Thanks Sheryl, have had nought to do with TB for 30 years ago in Australia, and things change