Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment of U.S. Health Care Personnel

Publication Date: May 17, 2019
Last Updated: March 14, 2022

Recommendations

Baseline (preplacement) screening and testing

TB screening of all HCP, including a symptom evaluation and test (IGRA or TST) for those without documented prior TB disease or LTBI; individual TB risk assessment.
6731

Postexposure screening and testing

Symptom evaluation for all HCP when an exposure is recognized. For HCP with a baseline negative TB test and no prior TB disease or LTBI, perform a test (IGRA or TST) when the exposure is identified. If that test is negative, do another test 8–10 weeks after the last exposure.
6731

Serial screening and testing for HCP without LTBI

Not routinely recommended; can consider for selected HCP groups; recommend annual TB education for all HCP, including information about TB exposure risks for all HCP.
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Evaluation and treatment of positive test results

Treatment is encouraged for all HCP with untreated LTBI, unless medically contraindicated.
6731
IGRA = interferon-gamma release assay; LTBI = latent tuberculosis infection; TST = tuberculin skin test.

Recommendation Grading

Overview

Title

Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment of U.S. Health Care Personnel

Authoring Organization

Publication Month/Year

May 17, 2019

Last Updated Month/Year

January 30, 2024

Document Type

Guideline

External Publication Status

Published

Country of Publication

US

Inclusion Criteria

Female, Male, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Older adult

Health Care Settings

Emergency care, Hospital, Outpatient

Intended Users

Epidemiology infection prevention, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant

Scope

Assessment and screening, Prevention, Treatment

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D014376 - Tuberculosis

Keywords

tuberculosis, preventative care, Tuberculosis

Source Citation

Sosa LE, Njie GJ, Lobato MN, et al. Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment of U.S. Health Care Personnel: Recommendations from the National Tuberculosis Controllers Association and CDC, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:439–443. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6819a3external icon
 

Methodology

Number of Source Documents
505
Literature Search Start Date
January 1, 2006
Literature Search End Date
November 1, 2017