Fact sheets

Tuberculosis fact sheet (PDF 201KB)

Public Health Action

• The Western Australian Tuberculosis Control Program

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Up-to-date Tuberculosis notification data

• General infectious disease reports 

Additional sources of information

• Australian Immunisation Handbook

• Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners. Department of Health, Western Australia

• Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic. Therapeutic Guidelines Limited: Melbourne
  

Exclusion

Cases: exclude until Medical Certificate of Recovery obtained
Refer to Communicable Diseases Guidelines

Case definition

Reporting

Only confirmed cases should be notified.

Confirmed case

A confirmed case requires a diagnosis accepted by the Director of Tuberculosis Control (or equivalent) in the relevant jurisdiction, based on either:

1. Laboratory definitive evidence
OR

2. clinical evidence.

Laboratory definitive evidence

1. Isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis or M. africanum ) by culture
OR

2. Detection of M. tuberculosis complex by nucleic acid testing EXCEPT where this is likely to be due to previously treated or inactive disease.

Clinical evidence

A clinician experienced in tuberculosis makes a clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis, including clinical follow-up assessment to ensure a consistent clinical course.