title: Tuberculosis and the elderly. A community health perspective.
abstract: Tuberculosis is an ancient disease which has had a resurgence in the United States. Many elderly clients were exposed to tuberculosis as children and young adults and are still carrying the infection today. This article describes tuberculosis as it affects the elderly client in community and nursing home settings. The history, etiology, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis infection and disease are presented. Because nurses can be very instrumental in controlling tuberculosis in the elderly, gerontological nursing implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Fairfax County Public Health Department, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Gubser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents