The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) releases Drug Utilization Review (DUR) articles which provide timely and relevant information on drug-specific therapy issues.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease affecting primarily the lungs and caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease transmits through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs or speaks.
Those who are infected, but show no signs or symptoms, have Latent TB Infection (LTBI). The majority of people with LTBI never develop an active infection, but some will progress to TB disease especially without treatment.
2021 statistics from the Tuberculosis Control Branch estimate 2 million (6%) Californians to have LTBI. The focus should prioritize optimizing rates of screening, diagnosing and treatment for LTBI. Read the full article to identify clinical recommendations for screening, testing and treatment.