Any ICU patient who may have active TB should be placed in a private room which meets the ventilation criteria for Airborne Precautions (i.e. negative pressure room).
	ICU patients with undiagnosed pulmonary symptoms who are at risk for pulmonary tuberculosis should have respiratory secretions submitted for AFB smear and culture. These patients should be placed on Airborne Precautions until a diagnosis of TB is ruled-out by three negative AFB smears obtained on separate days. Once such a patient has been appropriately evaluated and deemed not to be infectious with TB, he/she can be taken off Airborne Precautions.
	Endotracheal suctioning of patients who may have active tuberculosis should be carried out using a closed-system suction catheter.
	Placing a bacterial filter on an endotracheal tube or on the expiratory side of the ventilation circuit in a patient with suspected or confirmed tuberculosis may help reduce the risk of contaminating ventilation equipment or the discharging of tubercule bacilli into the ambient air.