Which isolation precaution is appropriate for suspected meningitis?

• A. Airborne
• B. Droplet
• C. Contact
• D. Protective

Answer: (B)

This item tests how meningitis spreads and which precautions stop that spread. Meningitis in its early, suspected stage is usually transmitted through respiratory droplets—small amounts of mucus or saliva spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Because of this, protecting others requires droplet precautions: healthcare workers wear a surgical mask when within about 3 feet of the patient, the patient ideally stays in a private room, and the patient wears a mask during transport. Eye protection is added if there’s a risk of splash to the eyes.

Airborne precautions would be overkill here because those are for diseases that spread through tiny aerosol particles that can travel through the air and linger for long periods, requiring a negative-pressure room. Contact precautions target transmission via direct contact with the patient or contaminated surfaces, which isn’t the primary route for meningitis. Protective isolation is used to protect severely immune-compromised patients from exposure, not to prevent spread from someone with meningitis.

Start droplet precautions promptly and continue them for a period after antibiotics have begun (often about 24 hours after effective therapy). This approach minimizes transmission while the infection is suspected.