Tuberculosis Control Branch

Provider Resources and Tools

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in California. The majority of cases of tuberculosis disease in California (86%) arises from progression of untreated latent TB Infection (LTBI). Over 2 million Californians have LTBI and most are unaware of their infection and untreated. This page contains provider resources and tools to help health care providers identify, test for, and treat latent tuberculosis infection and prevent active tuberculosis disease.

Background

Testing Tools

Treatment Tools

Additional Resources
Presentations

Background

2023 TB Snapshot: Provides an overview of risk groups, risk factors, and TB health disparities in California, 2023
United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Medical Board Letter (PDF): Describes updated USPSTF TB screening recommendations (2023)
California Health Advisory - Substantial Increase in Tuberculosis in California: Recommendations for California Healthcare Providers 2/23/2024

Testing Tools

Risk Assessment Tools: Tools to use to screen asymptomatic adults and children for TB risk factors. The Self-Risk Assessment Tool can be used by patients to answer 4 yes/no questions to assess whether they should get a TB test.

Prevent TB in Four Steps: A Guide for Medical Providers (PDF): A clinical algorithm that outlines the basic steps in identifying individuals at risk and testing and treating patients with LTBI in a clinical setting.
How to Talk to Patients About LTBI Provider Scripts

Provider Script for talking to Adult patients (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Provider Script for talking to Pediatric patients (PDF, 1.8 MB)
See related short videos geared towards primary care physicians modeling how to discuss with patients the most important points about TB risk and LTBI testing and treatment at Additional Resources below.

Evaluation of Children Exposed to Infectious Tuberculosis (TB): Recommendations for Pediatric Primary Care (PDF)

Treatment Tools

CDC LTBI Treatment Guidance
National TB Coalition of America (NTCA) LTBI Clinical Guidelines
Rifamycin Drug-Drug Interactions Guide: Overview of drug interactions with rifamycin, a primary LTBI medication
Evaluation of Children Exposed to Infectious Tuberculosis (TB): Recommendations for Pediatric Primary Care (PDF)

Additional Resources

Preventing TB in Your Clinical Settings: A Practical Guidebook (PDF, 7.6 MB)
Physician-Patient TB Messaging Videos: Three short videos geared towards primary care physicians modeling how to discuss with patients the most important points about TB risk and LTBI testing and treatment

The Cost and Consequences of TB: Why Prevention is Critical
County Provider Referral Letter for TB (PDF) and LTBI (PDF): Letter templates for use by TB programs to inform community providers of patient status, for patients referred by community provider to TB program for further TB/LTBI evaluation.