Mission

The mission of the Southeast Health District Tuberculosis (TB) Program is to prevent and control the transmission of TB disease within the 16-county area of our district.

Our objectives include:

• Identifying all persons with active TB disease and ensuring they complete treatment utilizing directly observed therapy
• Identifying, locating, evaluating, and treating all persons exposed to cases of active disease
• Ensuring completion of treatment by directly observed therapy among certain populations at risk for developing TB disease

Reportable Information

In Georgia, all tuberculosis must be reported immediately to the local county health department. Physicians, hospitals, laboratories, and other health care providers are required by law to report the following:

• Any child less than 5 years discovered with Latent TB Infection
• Any confirmed case of TB
• Any suspected case of TB
• Any person being treated with two (2) or more anti-tuberculosis drugs
• Any positive culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Any positive smear for AFB (Acid Fast Bacilli)

Reporting

Contact your local health department’s TB nurse or nurse manager to make a report. Prompt action by public health is essential in the prevention and control of TB. Specific patient information and copies of medical records are required and should be forwarded immediately.

If your local county health department cannot be reached, call the Southeast Health District Office of Infectious Disease at 912-285-6022.

You can also report electronically through the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS) https://sendss.state.ga.us.

Though we prefer you to call your local health department, the Office of Infectious Disease or report electronically through SENDSS, you can also notify us by mail by completing the Notifiable Disease Report Form (#3095) and mailing it to:

Southeast Health District
Office of Infectious Disease
1115 Church Street – Suite C
Waycross, GA 31501

The law regarding tuberculosis is in O.C.G.A. Department 511, Chapter 511-2, Subject 511-2-3 TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL

Related links:

Data

• 2017 Georgia Tuberculosis Epidemiology Report
• 2018-2019 TB Case Number and Rates in Georgia by County
• 2018-2019 TB Case Number and Rates in Georgia by Health Districts

Fact Sheets

• https://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/TB-Factsheets_HALTfactsheet.pdf
• https://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/general/tb.htm

References for Health Care Providers

• Georgia Tuberculosis Reference Guide, 2020
• TB related MMWR’s and articles
• Guidelines for the Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Health Care Facilities

Education and training materials

• https://www.cdc.gov/tb/

Tuberculosis Program Forms for Public Health Clinics

• https://dph.georgia.gov/health-topics/tuberculosis-tb-prevention-and-control/tb-public-health-clinic-forms