*Updated version - Information for Local Health Jurisdictions section has been updated below* | |
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CDC Releases Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2021
The full CDC report is now available online. The report describes information on TB disease reported to the CDC since 1993, with an emphasis on TB disease cases counted by the reporting jurisdiction in 2021 and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB disease surveillance.
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Welcome Our New State TB Program Staff! | |
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New State TB Nurse Consultant, Lisa Ferguson
Lisa joins the team as a TB Nurse Consultant, most recently working in Public Health in Portland, OR. Lisa has worked in Public Health for about 20 years, in corrections and local public health. Her public health areas of interest are communicable disease and outbreak management, with a particular interest in TB case management. She received a Master’s Degree in Global Public Health and Public Policy in 2014 and has Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Nursing. Lisa enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and camping with her family, including her husband, two teenagers and Blue Lacy dog, Sasha.
Lisa can be reached at [email protected].
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New TB Team Member, Kim MacLeod
After several years at DOH working in the Communicable Disease and PHOCIS offices, Kim joins the TB team to support ongoing and upcoming work around RVCT V3, systemization and automation of processes and work, and various other projects. Kim is a PMP certified project manager who has worked in a range of industries, and is grateful for the opportunity to support the TB team’s mission through the application of project management tools and principles. An avid traveler and backpacker, she can often be found in the backwoods, or thinking about being the backwoods.
Kim can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 206-418-5646.
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Current Rifapentine Shortage
The manufacturer, Sanofi, is allocating product to drug wholesalers, like Cardinal or Mckesson. Until they have sufficient supply to meet customer demand, these allocations will be based on past patterns of usage. If your pharmacy's drug wholesaler does not have any rifapentine on their shelves, please place a backorder and then notify your drug wholesaler's sales representative to let them know that you have a backorder waiting (or ask your pharmacy to do so).
We do not know the length of time this manufacturer issue will affect supplies. We will keep you informed as more details become available.
Visit FDA Drug Shortages for additional information.
Please reach out to us if you run into difficulties ordering TB medications or supplies at [email protected].
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Information for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) | |
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Important dates
2022 Year-End Closeout and Reconciliation
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Late December, 2022: Preliminary cleanup lists will be sent to LHJ partners to get a head start on data cleanup. If you do not hear from the state TB team epidemiologists, that means you do not have any data cleanup items to resolve at this time.
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December 29, 2022: Deadline to submit all cases for counting in 2022. This year this is a hard deadline due to RVCT V3 implementation.
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January 13, 2023: Limited provisional variables due for all 2022 cases. View the list of variables here.
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February 24, 2023: Case data must be as complete as possible for 2022 cases. Contact investigation records for 2022 cases must be entered into WDRS and updated to be as complete as possible. Class B screening data should be as complete as possible.
RVCT V3 Implementation
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Training sessions will be held in December. Each session will cover the same material, so users only need to register for one. Sessions will consist of a pre-recorded PowerPoint presentation describing what will be changing in WDRS with this update, followed by a live question and answer space. Click on the dates below to register.
- Tuesday, December 13, 2022 | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
- Wednesday, December 21, 2022 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- Users can also review the materials or watch the recording on their own time; these resources can be found in the Guidance Documents, Resources, and Trainings section of the TB Partner's SharePoint.
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Starting December 30, 2022 through January 7, 2023: Pause creation of new TB records in WDRS.
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Starting January 8, 2023: Resume creation of new TB records in WDRS. RVCT V3 changes will be in effect.
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Resources and additional details will be found in the Guidance Documents, Resources, and Trainings section of the TB Partner's SharePoint.
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Cross-Jurisdictional Contacts in WDRS
New guidance is available that identifies responsible parties for creating records, entering data and following-up on cross-jurisdictional contact events in WDRS. A quick guide reflecting this information is available on the Data Resources SharePoint page.
The LHJ that identifies the contact is responsible for creating a contact event in WDRS, even if the contact lives in another jurisdiction. The LHJ where the contact resides is responsible for screening the contact and entering all screening and clinical evaluation data in WDRS, unless the contact resides out of state.
If the contact identified lives in another Washington county, email the WA State TB Program ([email protected]) to share the WDRS event with the appropriate county. The LHJ where the contact resides will be the accountable county in WDRS, and they are responsible for entering screening and clinical evaluation data in WDRS.
If the contact identified lives out of state, the LHJ is responsible for creating an event in WDRS and completing an interjurisdictional notification. Any new data received through the IJN should be updated in WDRS.
Please direct any questions to the WA State TB Program.
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Medication Model Expansion Pilots
The DOH TB Program is expanding medication access in the new year. Beginning January we will expand from offering LHJs only the first 4-line TB medications to include all non-MDR TB medications for active disease patients. Costs of the medication, pharmacy storage, rebottling, and shipping to your LHJ is covered by TB Foundational Public Health Services funds and administered by the DOH TB Program.
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Medication order forms will be updated and posted to the TB Partners SharePoint Medication page soon. We will also include links to the new forms in the January TB Newsletter.
Other medications are often available on a case-by-case basis, including support for MDR medications. Medication for preventative therapy is also often available for high-risk contacts and new arrivers. We hope to make this medication universally available for these populations soon.
Please reach out to the program if you have questions: [email protected]
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TB Partners SharePoint Updates | |
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Phlebotomy Training Available
The DOH TB Program is partnering with the Phlebotomy Training Center at the University of Washington to offer phlebotomy training for LHJ TB program staff to be able to perform TB blood tests.
This is a two day in-person training in Seattle that requires one month advance notice to schedule. Class space is limited. LHJs who are interested in sending over staff to obtain this certification through June 30, 2023, should contact [email protected].
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Upcoming Events and Education Opportunities
December 16, 2022 | TB Grand Rounds: Use of BPaL Regimen and MDR TB Update
This regularly scheduled series from Rutgers highlights case presentations and lectures on a wide range of relevant topics in TB. More information here.
Newcomer Health ECHO
This ECHO Colorado series is designed to increase medical providers' knowledge of the resettlement and health issues of newcomers, including refugee, immigrant and migrant (RIM) populations. These virtual sessions are held on the last Tuesday of the month. More information here.
- January 31, 2023: Ukrainian Health Considerations
- More sessions in 2023
February 22-25, 2023 | 27th Annual Conference of the Union-North America Region
Registration for this conference is now open. More information here.
Mycobacterium Interest Group Seminar Series
The Seattle TB Research Advancement Center (SEATRAC) holds monthly Friday sessions (typically on the fourth Friday) which features both basic science and clinical science presentations. More information here.
Washington's TB Project ECHO
12:30-1:30 pm PT. On Mondays join our lunch-time virtual discussion about real TB cases with your peers. This free interactive event is guided by a panel of local TB experts. For more information about this local project and our partners who make this ongoing event possible.
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Articles
Dear Colleague Letter: New TB Centers of Excellence for Training, Education, and Medical Consultation Regions
CDC | 11/2022 | Read here
Dear Colleague Letter: CDC Releases “Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2021”
CDC | 11/2022 | Read here
Dear Colleague Letter: Venezuelan humanitarian relief program and TB testing
CDC | 11/2022 | Read here
Tuberculosis Elimination Alliance (TEA) Awards Mini-Grants to Expand LTBI and Tuberculosis Testing, Screening, Treatment, and Prevention
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations | 12/2022 | Read here
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Video Recordings and Education Opportunities
Heartland National TB Center (HNTC) Panel Physician Webcast Series Recordings
Recordings and handouts for this six-part series are now available for for viewing. Access here.
CITC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units will not be offered for these trainings. Access here.
Rutgers TB Institute Archived Trainings
CE units are available for select archives for a limited time frame.
SNTC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units are not offered for these trainings. Access here.
SNTC Online Courses
CME/CE units are offered for these trainings. Access here.
CDC: TB 101 for Health Care Workers
CE units expire on 11/6/2023 and are available at no cost. Access here.
TB ECHO Recorded Archives
Missed a TB ECHO® session? TB ECHO® has didactic presentations available for viewing on YouTube. Handouts related to the presentation are included where appropriate. Watch recorded TB ECHO® here
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Tools and Resources
CDC
DOH Refugee Health Program
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Afghan Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources (scroll down for TB resources).
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Ukrainian Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources to support new arrivals from Ukraine (scroll down for TB resources).
Heartland National TB Center
Southeastern National TB Center
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Individualized Country Guides to support the provider-foreign-born client relationship by giving country-specific background information, epidemiological data, common misperceptions and beliefs about TB and HIV/AIDS, as well as information about general health practices, cultural beliefs and courtesies to observe.
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