Table 5.
Infection control precautions for specific organisms
| Organism | Precautionsa |
|---|---|
| Respiratory syncytial virus | Contact |
| Influenza | Droplet plus mask to enter room, single room |
| Parainfluenza | Contact |
| Adenovirus | Droplet and contact |
| Varicella | Airborne (for chickenpox, non-immune individuals should not enter room); precaution room with anteroom or single room with door closed at all times; zoster in an immunocompromised patient requires airborne and contact precautions |
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae | Droplet |
| Bordetella pertussis | Droplet (until patient has received 5 days of effective therapy) |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Airborne; negative-pressure precaution room with anteroom |
| Multidrug-resistant bacteria (methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, resistant gram-negative rods) | Special organism precautions |
a
Contact refers to gown and gloves; droplet refers to mask within 3 feet; airborne refers to N95 respirator to enter room; special organism precautions refers to gown and gloves and dedicated patient equipment.