Transmission of M. tuberculosis is a recognized risk to patients and h
ealthcare workers in health-care facilities. Transmission is most Like
ly to occur from patients who have unrecognized pulmonary or laryngeal
tuberculosis, are not on effective antituberculosis therapy, and have
not been placed in isolation. Several recent tuberculosis outbreaks i
n health-care facilities, including outbreaks of multidrug-resistant t
uberculosis, have heightened concern over nosocomial transmission. The
primary goals for an effective tuberculosis infection control plan ar
e early identification, isolation, and effective treatment of persons
who have active tuberculosis. Although completely eliminating the risk
for transmission of M. tuberculosis in all health-care facilities may
not be possible at the present time, adherence to certain fundamental
tuberculosis infection control measures should reduce the risk to per
sons in these settings.