Exposure Procedure

When a Tuberculosis (TB) exposure occurs, the involved student will report the incident to the clinical instructor and the appropriate administrative staff at the involved institution or agency.
The student will be counseled immediately and referred to his or her personal health care provider, or local Health Department.
A baseline Tuberculosis Skin Test (TST) should be administered as soon as possible after the exposure.
Frequency of follow-up TSTs will be performed per provider protocol. A TST performed 12 weeks after the last exposure will indicate whether infection has occurred.
A student with evidence of new infection, (TST conversions) needs to be evaluated for active TB. Even if active TB is not diagnosed, prophylactic therapy for latent TB is recommended.
A student with a previously documented reactive TST need not be retested but should have a baseline symptom screen performed following the exposure and repeated 12 weeks after the exposure. If the symptom screen is positive a chest x-ray is required.
Any active case of TB must be reported to local Health Department.