Reducing the spread of tuberculosis (TB)

You may be at risk of exposure to TB if you:

• have been in contact with a person with diagnosed with TB
• are from a high TB risk country or community
• have migrated from a country where TB is common
• may be exposed to TB as part of your occupation eg. health care workers
• are travelling to a country where TB is common.

Vaccination against TB

The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination  which helps to lessen the chances of developing TB is available for both adults and babies at risk of TB. Although not 100% effective, the vaccine does prevent serious complications of TB, especially in young children.

This vaccination is available throughout Queensland and is administered by specially trained nurses. As the incidence of the disease in Australia is very low, it is not necessary to offer the general population this vaccine. All patients are required to sign a consent form prior to vaccination.

The QTBCC recommends BCG vaccination for the following people:

• newborn babies of Indigenous Australians, of migrant parents from countries with high incidence of TB, of parents who will be travelling to or having household visitors from countries with high incidence of TB, and of a parent with leprosy
• children and adults who will travel or live in countries or communities where tuberculosis is common or who have frequent visits from people from these areas
• children and adults in contact with a person with active tuberculosis
• health care workers and other workers considered to be at high risk of contact with tuberculosis in situations where routine screening and use of preventive treatment may not be practical or effective.

Contact us if you believe you are at risk of exposure to TB and would like to find out more about having a BCG vaccination.

Prevent infection

If you have active TB disease, you can help prevent infection to others by taking your anti-tuberculosis medication as instructed, even if you are feeling well. You may need to be isolated from other people while you undertake treatment to ensure they don’t become infected. Make sure you always cover your mouth while coughing or sneezing as a precaution.

Related Links

• Fact sheet: Tuberculosis vaccination for adults (BCG vaccination) (PDF, 144kb)
• Fact sheet: Tuberculosis vaccination for babies (BCG vaccination) (PDF, 110kb)
• Tuberculosis BGC vaccination consent Form (PDF, 104kb).

Last Updated: 28 May 2010
Last Reviewed: 06 May 2010