This section is a source of information for health care providers to guide them in their clinical practice including tuberculosis (TB) reporting processes and updates on testing and management.
For additional information or to consult a member of our TB team, contact the Health Unit at 519-258-2146, ext. 1420.
The Health Protection and Promotion Act 1990 (HPPA), R.S.O., 1990, and Ontario Reg. 135/18, outlines the requirements for physicians, practitioners, laboratories, and institutions to report all positive TB skin tests or interferon gamma release assays (IGRA), and suspect and confirmed active TB cases to the Medical Officer of Health. The reporting form should be completed and faxed within 7 days for latent TB infection (LTBI) and 24 hours for suspect or confirmed active TB to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at fax: 226-783-2132.
The purpose of this guide is to provide health care providers with clinical guidelines for tuberculosis screening and management, and information about reporting to the Windsor-Essex Country Health Unit.
IGRA assesses for past exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is more specific for the bacteria than the Tuberculin Skin Test and is not affected by past BCG vaccination. More information can be found in the Canadian TB Standards, 7th edition, Chapter 4.
If a TST or IGRA is required, it should be administered and read before immunization or delayed for four weeks after vaccination.
A table indicating a TEST result, and the situations in which it is considered positive.
A table of TB information, and a downloadable poster of the resource.
The Long Term Care Homes Act 2007, Ontario Regulation 79/10, and Retirement Homes Act 2010, Ontario Regulation 166/11, require screening for tuberculosis.
TB infection is defined as the presence of latent or dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, with no clinical evidence of active disease.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires certain individuals to complete tuberculosis (TB) medical surveillance as a condition of entry or continued residence in Canada.
