Section R9-6-380. Tuberculosis

A.      Case control measures:

1.        A diagnosing health care provider or an administrator of a health care institution, either personally or through a rep- resentative, shall isolate and institute airborne precau- tions for an individual with infectious active tuberculosis or a suspect case until:

a.        At least three successive sputum smears collected at least eight hours apart, at least one of which is taken in the morning as soon as possible after the individ- ual awakens from sleep, are negative for acid-fast bacilli;

b.        Anti-tuberculosis treatment is initiated with multiple antibiotics;

c.        Clinical signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis are improved; and

d.        For a case of multi-drug resistant active tuberculo- sis, a tuberculosis control officer has approved the release of the case from airborne precautions.

2.        An administrator of a health care institution, either per- sonally or through a representative, shall notify a local health agency at least one working day before discharg- ing a tuberculosis case or suspect case.

3.        A local health agency shall:

a.        Exclude an individual with infectious active tuber- culosis or a suspect case from working, unless the individual’s work setting has been approved by a tuberculosis control officer, until:

i.         At least three successive sputum smears col- lected at least eight hours apart, at least one of which is taken first thing in the morning as soon as possible after the individual awakens from sleep, are negative for acid-fast bacilli;

ii.        Anti-tuberculosis treatment is initiated with multiple antibiotics;

iii.      Clinical signs and symptoms of active tubercu- losis are improved; and

iv.      For a case of multi-drug resistant active tuber- culosis, a tuberculosis control officer has approved the release of the case from airborne precautions;

b.        Conduct an epidemiologic investigation of each reported tuberculosis case or suspect case;

c.        For each tuberculosis case or suspect case, submit to the Department, as specified in Article 2, Table 4, the information required under R9-6-206(D);

d.        Ensure that an isolate from each tuberculosis case is submitted to the Arizona State Laboratory; and

e.        Comply with the requirements specified in R9-6- 1202.

B.       Contact control measures:

1.        A contact of an individual with infectious active tubercu- losis shall allow a local health agency to evaluate the con- tact’s tuberculosis status.

2.        A local health agency shall comply with the tuberculosis contact control measures specified in R9-6-1202.

C.      An individual is not a tuberculosis case if the individual has a positive result from an approved test for tuberculosis but does not have clinical signs or symptoms of disease.

Historical Note

Section renumbered from R9-6-370 and amended by final rulemaking at 10 A.A.R. 3559, effective October 2, 2004 (Supp. 04-3). Former R9-6-380 renumbered to R9-6-386; new R9-6-380 renumbered from R9-6-373 and amended by final rulemaking at 14 A.A.R. 1502, effective April 1, 2008 (Supp. 08-2).