Outbreak Investigation and Control Experience of School Tuberculosis in Taipei Region

DOI: 10.6525/TEB.20151027.31(20).001

Chu-Ming Chiu^＊, Chun-Ru Do, Jiunn-Shyan Julian Wu,Shih-Tse Huang, Hwan-Feng Wang

2015 Vol.31 NO.20

Correspondence Author： Chu-Ming Chiu^＊

Abstract：

The school campus is one of the most common sites related to tuberculosis outbreak in community. We report a large school tuberculosis outbreak in Taipei region.

Based on the expert meetings, local public health authorities took actions including: 1) expanding contact examination; 2) transferring and assessing of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment; 3) following up chest X-ray every six months; and 4) improving the ventilation systems of the school. We tracked 1,081 tuberculosis contacts; there were 22 confirmed tuberculosis case-patients during the two-year follow up and 12 patients had isolates with matching restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotypes.

We recommend: 1) implementing regular chest X-ray examination for school employees and students; 2) fulfilling the student health examination exactly; 3) emphasizing the risk communication among contacts; 4) expanding Seven Score Screen Method; 5) setting the monitoring mechanisms of respiratory symptoms in schools; and 6) promoting the Indoor AirQuality Act which is associated to air quality improvement in schools.