Tuberculosis

Statutory notification

• Tuberculosis is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of Statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

Important information

• Infectious agent: Most commonly Mycobacterium tuberculosis, occasionally M. africanum, M. bovis and M. canettii.
• Transmission: Predominantly air-borne. Direct inoculation of mucous membranes or broken skin is rare. Bovine tuberculosis is rare, but can be acquired from ingestion of unpasteurised milk or air-borne spread.
• Incubation period: 4 weeks to many years.
• Infectious period: As long as live bacteria are in sputum. Effective treatment usually eliminates infectious risk within 2 – 4 weeks.
• Case exclusion: exclude until Medical Certificate of Recovery is obtained.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Drug therapy is available and is coordinated through the Western Australian Tuberculosis Control Program.
• Immunisation: BCG vaccine available, although not routinely recommended.
• Case follow-up: is conducted by the Western Australian Tuberculosis Control Program.

Guidelines

• Operational directives and policies relevant to tuberculosis can be found on the Western Australian Tuberculosis Control Program (external site)
• Guidelines for Tuberculosis control in Western Australia (PDF 1MB)
• Communicable Disease Guidelines for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners
• Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Tuberculosis (external site)
• Remember to think of tuberculosis when... (ppsx 1.82MB)
• Think of TB: clinical education video (external site).

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports