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As a preventative measure, screening is provided for people at risk of TB, including:
Generally, a patient with a significant tuberculin test reaction should be referred to us for a clinical assessment with a medical officer. The initial clinical assessment involves the exclusion of active TB, and a discussion of the significance of the tuberculin test reaction. If indicated, the client is either offered treatment of latent TB infection or monitoring.
As Australia has very low rates of the disease and population screening and vaccination is not feasible, many Australian health care workers have no prior exposure to TB, and face the possibility of occupationally acquired infection if confronted with an infectious patient. Where a health care worker has migrated to Australia from an area of high TB incidence, this worker might potentially infect a large number of patients and fellow staff if they were to develop infectious TB.
The QTCP has developed recommendations for the protection of health care workers against TB in Queensland. These recommendations aim to prevent the transmission of TB within heath facilities and protect staff, clients and other users of health services.
Contact us for further advice.
It is recommended that migrants and refugees from high TB incidence countries undergo blood screening for tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. This can be ordered as required by a QTCP medical officer or nurse.
Read QTCP guidelines for migrant screening for more details.
QTCP guidelines for TB screening within aged care facilities have been developed for the protection of staff and patients.
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