Reporting Tuberculosis

The Georgia TB Program has the legal responsibility for all TB clients in the state regardless of who provides the direct services under legislative authority O.C.G.A. Department 511, Chapter 511-2, Subject 511-2-3 TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL

Reporting requirements

In Georgia, all tuberculosis must be reported immediately to the local county health department. Physicians, hospitals, laboratories and other health care providers are required to report any of 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)

How to Report Notifiable Diseases:

To Report Immediately

• Call or fax to the Reporting Contacts at the District Health Office
• Call 1-866-PUB-HLTH (1-866-782-4584)

To Report Within 7 Days

• Report cases electronically through the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS)
• Complete a Notifiable Disease Report Form and
  • Mail an envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL to the District Health Office, or
  • Fax to the Reporting Contacts at the District Health Office

What happens when TB is reported?

The TB nurse at the local health department will gather all pertinent information from the person making the report. The patient will be contacted for an interview so a contact investigation can be initiated. The nurse will coordinate and monitor the treatment of the patient and make sure all contacts are promptly identified, evaluated and placed on treatment if appropriate.