This handbook focuses specifically on three technologies that are being widely used to help TB patients complete their treatment over the many months that their regimens last.
This information sheet discusses the steps taken to diagnose TB disease. It describes the symptoms of TB and explains how an individual suspected of having TB is evaluated using the following: medical history, physical examination, skin test or special TB blood test, chest radiograph, microbiological tests, and finally tests for drug resistance.
In a question and answer format, this information sheet discusses testing for tuberculosis (TB). There are two kinds of tests that are used to determine if a person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test (TST) and TB blood tests.
This information sheet discusses interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs), which are whole-blood tests used in diagnosing both latent TB infection and TB disease. It notes that two IGRAs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are commercially available in the United States. The information sheet explains how the IGRAs work; the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of IGRAs; steps in administering these tests; interpretation; recommendations on when to use them; and whether IGRAs can be given to persons receiving vaccinations.
The video is intended to provide overall guidance and interviewing techniques.
Viewers are presented an overview of interviewing for TB contact investigation, excerpts of a TB interview and a re-interview, and commentary from experts in the field. The checklist focuses on critical elements of a TB interview.
This series of three videos aims to help providers talk to their patients about latent TB infection testing and treatment. Each of the videos are two-minutes long. The topics covered include:
•Why Should I Get Testing for Latent TB?
•Why Do I Need Treatment for Latent TB?
•I Received the BCG Vaccine: Do I Still Need Latent TB Testing and Treatment?
This poster includes information on TB testing and TB disease symptoms.
A checklist for individuals to see if they may need a test for TB. The checklist has 3 questions:
*Were you born in or have you lived in a country (for over a month) where TB is common? This includes anywhere in Africa, Asia, Mexico, Central or South America, the Caribbean or Eastern Europe.
*Have you lived with or spent time with someone who has had TB?
*Do you have HIV/AIDS, diabetes, or kidney disease? Are you an organ transplant recipient or do you take medication that weakens your immune system?
Basics of MDR-TB Clinical Care: Online Video Series is comprised of a series of short, online lectures presented in easy to digest segments. The series will cover major topics pertaining to epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment regimens, monitoring and case management, side-effects, prevention and isolation, treatment of contacts, and special situations. A distinguished group of experts from public health and academia contributed to the writing and recording of the finalized series. So far, three videos are available. More videos will be added later in 2018.
