Which condition requires a technician to wear an N95 respirator?

Wearing an N95 respirator is essential when caring for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis due to the airborne transmission of the bacteria that cause the disease. This type of respirator is specifically designed to filter out at least 95% of airborne particles, including those that are very small, which are capable of carrying infectious agents like Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In contrast, while conditions such as C. difficile infection and pneumonia are serious and can require specific precautions, they do not primarily involve airborne transmission. C. difficile is transmitted through spores that are often spread via contaminated surfaces or hands, and pneumonia can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, which do not require the same level of respiratory protection as airborne pathogens. Measles does require airborne precautions, but it is typically addressed with a different type of mask as the specific designation for N95 respirators is more directly related to infections like tuberculosis due to its unique transmission route.