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Tuberculosis Control Program for Providers

Overview

Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program

San Mateo County’s Tuberculosis (TB) Control program provides priority TB prevention and control activities to help those with TB disease, and protect the health of the public.

San Mateo County’s TB Control Program:

  • Provides evaluation, treatment and case management services for County residents with active tuberculosis or latent tuberculosis infection
  • Identifies, notifies and ensures follow up of individuals determined to have been contacts of a case of active tuberculosis disease
  • Investigates outbreaks of tuberculosis
  • Collects and analyzes data on tuberculosis cases in the county
  • Provides consultation to medical providers regarding the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis cases
  • Provides tuberculosis education to the public

Tuberculosis is a reportable disease. Providers are required by law to report any suspect or confirmed cases of tuberculosis as mandated by Title 17 California Code of Regulations (CCR): Please use this Confidential Morbidity Report - TB (CMR-TB). For more information, view the reporting tab below.

If you are a patient, please see our Patient Website.

Do you have questions? 

We are available for consultation: (650) 573-2346

San Mateo County TB Control Annual Reports

General information

Reporting Requirements

Tuberculosis is a reportable disease, as mandated by Title 17 California Code of Regulations (CCR)

Active Tuberculosis Disease

All confirmed or suspected cases of active TB disease must be reported by phone and/or fax within 1 working day to TB Control

Phone: (650) 573-2346
Fax: (650) 573-2919

Do not wait for lab results to confirm the diagnosis prior to reporting

For faxed reports use the Confidential Morbidity Report - TB (CMR-TB).  Please fill out the entire CMR-TB (completely as possible).

General information

Screening

Who, Why, How and Where

Who should be screened?

San Mateo County’s tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control program follows testing recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which include the use of a targeted testing strategy. This strategy entails finding and treating persons with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) who are at the highest risk for developing TB disease, and thus would benefit from treatment.

General information

Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI)

Managing Patients with Positive Tuberculin Skin Tests (TSTs) or Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs)

A chest x-ray must always be obtained when there is a positive TST or IGRA to rule out active disease.

If the chest x-ray is not suggestive of active TB, the patient is a candidate for latent TB treatment (this was previously called “prophylaxis”.)

There are three regimens that can be used to treat LTBI:

General information

Treatment of Active Tuberculosis Disease

San Mateo County follows treatment recommendations for active tuberculosis disease set forth by the California Tuberculosis Controller’s Association (CTCA) adapted from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  The recommendations by the CTCA differ slightly from the CDC’s guidelines.

We have also highlighted below important matters for managing a patient with active TB disease in San Mateo County.

General information

Hospital Discharge

Hospital Discharge Guidelines

Providers must report patients with suspected or confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis within one working day of identification (Title 17 California Code of Regulations §2500).

All patients with suspect or confirmed diagnosis of M. tuberculosis need approval by San Mateo County Health prior to discharge or transfer to another facility to ensure that:

General information

TB Immigration Clearance – Civil Surgeons & B-Waivers

CIVIL SURGEON REPORTING (I-693 Form Completion for Immigration Status Adjustment)

Reporting Instructions

As of October 1, 2018, civil surgeons (CS) are required to report latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to local health departments (LHDs). The CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine revised its Tuberculosis Technical Instructions for civil surgeons screening applicants for immigration status adjustment.

General information

Patient Education Resources

Sputum Collection Instructions for Patients

Patients required to submit sputum specimens should have purpose explained to them and be provided with instructions. Please see attached sputum collection instructions:

Sputum Collection Instructions - English

Sputum Collection Instructions - Spanish

Sputum Collection Instructions - Tagalog

Home Isolation Instructions for Patients

Patients required to be on home isolation should have the concept and its purpose explained to them, and be provided with home isolation instructions:

Home Isolation Instructions - English

Home Isolation Instructions - Spanish

Home Isolation Instructions - Tagalog