Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Updated School TB Screening Policy
Frank Alvarez, MD, MPH and Pamina Bagchi, MPH Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Tuberculosis Control Program
Topics
• Background
• Data
• Myth-Busting
• New Approach
• Questions
Introduction
In 1980, amended California Administrative
Code, Title 22, Division 22, Chapter 9, Sections
41301-41329 to enable the Local Health Officer to
mandate tuberculosis (TB) testing of school children, if
deemed necessary, for that specific jurisdiction.
Introduction (2)
From 1985-2011, the TB Control Program has
required all kindergartners and students who have never
previously attended school in California to provide
written documentation of a TB skin test (or
IGRA) result.
Purpose of Previous Pre-K
TB Testing Requirement• To collect County-wide data to
assess improvement in TB control and better understand the presence of TB infection and disease
• To determine the impact of immigration patterns on local TB incidence
Purpose of Previous Pre-K
TB Testing Requirement (2)
• To identify children who are candidates for treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI)
• To measure annual TB infection rates in the school-aged population
7
TB Skin Test Results Among New School Entrants (K-12) and TB Cases (4-18 year old)
in Los Angeles County 1993-2009
93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 090
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
5347
34
39 26 2120
25 27 2715 28 20 18
13 2617
7256
37
35 47 4038
33 30 3427 20 18 13
15 1110
FB_Cases(4-18 Y.O.) US_Cases(4-18 Y.O.) Total_cases US_TST(+)FB_TST(+)
Number of TB Cases % of TST (+)
Myth 1 About TB•Myth: Being infected with TB (positive skin test or blood test) means you have active TB disease.
•Fact: Infection does not necessarily mean disease.TB Infection TB Disease Does not feel sick Usually feels sick Has no symptoms Has symptoms Cannot spread TB bacteria to others May spread TB bacteria to others Usually has a positive skin test or blood test
Usually has a positive skin test or blood test
Has a normal chest x-ray and a negative sputum smear
May have an abnormal chest x-ray, and/or positive sputum smear, and/or positive culture
Needs treatment for TB Infection to prevent developing active TB disease
Needs treatment for active TB disease
Myth 2 About TB
• Myth: TB testing is the same as TB screening.
• Fact: Testing for TB is not the same as screening. TB Screening TB Testing
Risk assessment (series of questions) performed by clinician
Skin test (TST) or blood test (QFT or T-Spot)
If deemed higher risk, test for TB infection is done
If positive, then chest x-ray is done
Myth 1 About Previous Testing Requirement
• Myth: The Pre-K Testing Requirement was used as a method of finding children with active TB disease.
• Fact: The requirement was designed to determine / monitor TB infection rates, NOT to find and treat active TB disease cases. TB Control utilizes contact investigations to find active TB cases of all ages.
Myth 2 About Previous Testing Requirement
• Myth: The Pre-K Testing Requirement was an effective means of getting TB-infected children treated.
• Fact: Monitoring was not in place to ensure that children who tested positive for TB infection began treatment. Evidence suggests that many who did begin treatment did not complete the full treatment regimen.
Myth 3 About Previous Testing Requirement
• Myth: If the requirement were not in place, there would be a rise in pediatric TB cases in LA County.
• Fact: Jurisdictions that either rescinded their Pre-K Testing Requirement, like Riverside County, or that never had a Pre-K Testing Requirement, like San Diego County, have continued to see a steady decline in pediatric TB cases.
New Requirement
• Rescind the testing requirement for children entering kindergarten or a California school for the first time.
• Incorporate universal TB screening and risk-based testing in existing California State physical examination requirement for children entering first grade.
New Requirement (2)
• Health providers, as part of this routine health assessment, will screen students and test them for TB only if a risk factor is present.
New Requirement (3)Old Policy New Policy
Screening for High Risk
None All Students
TB Testing All StudentsOnly those at high risk
Additional Office Visits Needed?
LikelyNot likely
(same as physical exam)
When?Entering
KindergartenEntering
First grade
5
16
Factors to Assess High Risk for TB
If any of these is “Yes” TST or IGRA
• Birth outside US in high-prevalence region
• Travel to high-incidence country > 1 week
Factors to Assess High Risk for TB (2)
If any of these is “Yes” TST or IGRA
• Contact with confirmed or suspected TB case
• Family member with positive TST
Why the Change?
• To promote evidence-based best practice, as recommended by the CDC, AAP, USPSTF, etc.
• To avoid redundancy and prevent fragmented care
• To prevent false positive children from receiving treatments that may harm their livers
Why the Change? (2)
• To focus on placing children in medical homes
• To focus on more effective interventions (e.g. CI)
• To focus on higher-risk populations (e.g. homeless)
Partners• Los Angeles County Office of Education
(LACOE)• Los Angeles Unified School District
(LAUSD) • American Academy of Pediatrics, Local
Chapter (AAP)• American Academy of Family Practice,
Local Chapter (AAFP)• Los Angeles County Medical
Association (LACMA)• American Lung Association in
California (ALAC)
Partners (2)• Child Health and Disability Prevention
(CHDP)• Maternal, Child and Adolescent
Health (MCAH)• Los Angeles County Department of
Health Services (DHS)• CA Department of Public Health, TB
Control Branch (TBCB) • Long Beach Department of Health,
Human Services (LBHHS) • Long Beach Unified School District
(LBUSD)
For Information on IGRAs• Cellestis, a Qiagen Company
(QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube)
Nancy Hyland
(661)289-2557• Oxford Immunotec
(T-SPOT)
Deneen Jackson
(619)887-6109
TB Control Program Website
TB Control Program Website
Questions?
LA County TB Control Program Website
www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/tb/
Chhandasi Pamina Bagchi, MPHPolicy and Planning, TB Control
(213) 745-0836
