TUBERCULOSIS
(Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex)


Clinical Criteria
Any person with the following two:
- Signs, symptoms and/or radiological findings consistent with active tuberculosis in any site
AND
- A clinician's decision to treat the person with a full course of anti-tuberculosis therapy
OR
A case discovered post-mortem with pathological findings consistent with active tuberculosis
that would have indicated anti-tuberculosis antibiotic treatment had the patient been
diagnosed before dying


Laboratory Criteria


- Laboratory criteria for case confirmation

At least one of the following two:
- Isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (excluding Mycobacterium bovis-BCG)
from a clinical specimen
- Detection of M. tuberculosis complex nucleic acid in a clinical specimen AND positive
microscopy for acid-fast bacilli or equivalent fluorescent staining bacilli on light
microscopy


- Laboratory criteria for a probable case

At least one of the following three:
- Microscopy for acid-fast bacilli or equivalent fluorescent staining bacilli on light
microscopy
- Detection of M. tuberculosis complex nucleic acid in a clinical specimen
- Histological appearance of granulomata


Epidemiological Criteria NA


Case Classification
A. Possible case
Any person meeting the clinical criteria
B. Probable case
Any person meeting the clinical criteria and the laboratory criteria for a probable case
C. Confirmed case
Any person meeting the clinical and the laboratory criteria for case confirmation