Tuberculosis Control Program
The mission of the Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program is to prevent the transmission of tuberculosis in Howard County.
The Health Department is responsible for evaluating and treating people for active tuberculosis disease. The TB Control Program receives reports of people with active tuberculosis from medical providers, hospitals and labs. Once a case of active tuberculosis is reported, the patient receives TB services, including case management, education, radiology studies, laboratory testing and treatment.
Additional services provided include investigation of contacts, evaluation of residents referred through government programs and medical consultation for healthcare providers.
The program does not provide tuberculosis testing for employment or school purposes. Many urgent care clinics and health care providers offer testing.
You have a higher risk of being exposed to TB germs if you:
- Were born in or frequently travel to countries where TB is common, including some countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
- Live or used to live in large group settings where TB is more common, such as homeless shelters, prisons, or jails
- Work in paces where TB is more likely to spread, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and nursing homes
Tuberculosis Resources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) What You Need to Know About Tuberculosis
- CDC - Lo Que Debe Saber Sobre La Tuberculosis
- CDC - Tuberculosis Page
- CDC - Signs and Symptoms of TB
- CDC - Tuberculosis Risk Factors
- CDC - Questions and Answers Booklet
- CDC - Tuberculosis - Get the Facts Brochure
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Basic TB Facts
- Maryland Department of Health - Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention
For more information, call the HCHD TB Control Program at 410-313-0622 from 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday.
Information for Providers
Testing and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the United States
The Howard County Health Department’s TB Control Program receives referrals for the treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) from occupational health providers, primary care providers, and other healthcare professionals for individuals with positive TB tests who are not infectious.
Eligibility criteria for referral to our program include any of the following:
- Those with suspected or diagnosed active TB.
- Contacts of active TB cases identified through a health department investigation.
- Immigrants entering the country with a TB waiver.
- Others referred through federal or state government programs.
Due to limited capacity, we are unable to accept all referrals for LTBI treatment. If your patient does not meet the criteria above, we will not be able to schedule them for services. Treatment for LTBI can be prescribed by any medical provider and most insurance companies have the medication on formulary. For the uninsured, there are online prescription discount cards that can be used at major pharmacies. Low-cost medical services are available at federally qualified health centers. Patients can also call our Bureau of Access to Health Care Services at 410-313-5845 for assistance with enrollment into a healthcare plan.
We are here to provide medical consultation and resources to providers evaluating and treating patients with LTBI. For assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at 410-313-0622.
Resources: