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Information about tuberculosis (TB)

Testing for TB

To significantly decrease the number of people with TB disease, more individuals with risk factors for TB should be tested and treated. BCG vaccines are given in countries where TB is common. People who have had the BCG vaccine can still get LTBI and TB disease. If you think that your TB skin test might be positive due to a BCG vaccine, you should consider having a TB blood test. The TB blood test is never positive because of the BCG vaccine.

Testing is recommended for:

  • People who have spent time with someone who has TB disease.
  • People from a country where TB disease is common (most countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, and Russia).
  • Health-care workers who care for patients at increased risk for TB disease.
  • Infants, children and adolescents exposed to adults who are at increased risk for latent tuberculosis infection or TB disease.
  • People with immunosuppression: HIV infection, organ transplant recipient, treated with TNF-alpha antagonist (for example, infliximab, etanercept, and others), steroids (equivalent of prednisone greater than or equal to 15 mg per day for one month or longer) or other immunosuppressive medication.

If one or more of these situations apply to you, make an appointment with your doctor to get tested and to learn about treatment options. You can also call for an appointment for testing at these local community health centers.

 

Latent TB

Before you become sick with TB disease, there is a period of time when you have no symptoms even though TB bacteria are dormant inside your body.  This is called latent TB infection (LTBI). LTBI is not contagious. 

When your body can no longer prevent the bacteria from growing, it will multiply and cause TB disease. Individuals with LTBI may become sick with TB disease within weeks to many years after becoming infected. Overall, 5 to 10 percent of people with LTBI develop TB disease over their lifetime; this risk is higher for those with risk factors for progression from LTBI to TB disease, such as undernutrition, HIV infection, and diabetes. Certain behaviors, such as alcohol and smoking, also increase an individual’s risk for developing TB disease. 

Treatment 

You can take medicine to kill the TB bacteria, so you do not get sick with TB disease. Treatment for latent TB infection can lower your risk of developing TB disease by over 90 percent. Talk with your doctor about treatment for LTBI. 

Treatment options include:

  • Two medications (Isoniazid and Rifapentine​) once a week for 3 months.
  • One medication (Rifampin) daily for 4 months.
  • Two medications (Isoniazid and Rifampin) daily for 3 months.
  • One medication (Isoniazid) daily for 9 months. 

TB cases and rates

In 2022, Santa Clara County had the third highest case rate among all California jurisdictions, after Imperial and Alameda counties. TB cases occurred predominantly among Asian and Hispanic populations, with a small percentage in White, African American/African Ancestry,  and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander populations. About 96 percent of TB cases occurred among persons born outside the U.S., primarily from the following countries: Vietnam, the Philippines, India, China, and Mexico.

Resources

School mandate and other risk assessments

School mandate information for parents

Prior to school enrollment, children are required to have their healthcare provider complete the Santa Clara County Risk Assessment for School Entry. Take this form to your provider to complete and return to your child’s school. This requirement applies to students attending both public and private schools in Santa Clara County and is based on the authority given to the Santa Clara County Health Officer under the California Health and Safety Code, Section 121515. Effective June 1, 2014, students newly enrolling into school in Santa Clara County are required to undergo TB testing ONLY if their healthcare provider identifies a risk factor for TB exposure.

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TB School mandate information

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TB information for health care providers

Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention and Control Program

976 Lenzen Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126
United States

Fax: (408) 885-2331