Final answer:
Healthcare workers need to wear HEPA respirators or N95 masks when dealing with highly infectious diseases that are airborne, such as tuberculosis, anthrax, and viruses handled in BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Healthcare workers are advised to wear a HEPA respirator or N95 mask when dealing with diseases that can cause lethal infections through inhalation, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis (TB), Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax, West Nile virus, and pathogens associated with Biological Safety Level 3 (BSL-3) and BSL-4 laboratories, such as Ebola and Marburg viruses. These precautions are essential to prevent the spread of airborne microbes in medical settings, including hospitals and research facilities. HEPA filtration is commonly used in these environments to maintain a high level of air quality and to protect immunocompromised patients and healthcare workers from opportunistic infections.