Features of the tuberculosis patient:
(1) pulmonary or pleural tuberculosis suspected
(2) sputum smear negative for acid fast bacilli (AFB)
(3) abnormal chest radiograph inconsistent with TB
(4) nucleic acid assay and mycobacterial culture are negative
Criteria for medium priority contact:
(1) age of contact < 5 years
(2) household contact
(3) presence of medical risk factor
(4) exposure during a medical procedure (bronchoscopy, sputum induction, autopsy)
Medical risk factors:
(1) HIV infected
(2) therapy with prednisone > 15 mg for > 4 weeks
(3) immunosuppressive agent
(4) cancer chemotherapy
(5) use of a tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonist
(6) silicosis
(7) diabetes mellitus
(8) status post gastrectomy or jejunoileal bypass surgery
(9) intravenous drug use
(10) head or neck cancer
(11) hematological or reticuloendothelial disease
(12) end-stage renal disease
(13) chronic malabsorption syndrome
(14) low body weight (underweight for age)
Criteria for low priority contact:
(1) not medium priority
NOTE: There is no high priority contacts.
