ARCHIVED - Tuberculosis

Nationally notifiable since 1924

1.0 National Notification

Only confirmed cases of disease should be notified.

Whether treatment was started or not, there should be notification of all cases of tuberculosis diagnosed in Canada in the following groups:

• Canadian citizens
• permanent residents
• refugees
• refugee claimants

For temporary residents (visitors, students and people granted work permits) and foreign nationals who are in Canada illegally, notification is to be done only for cases for whom treatment was started in Canada. The province/territory where treatment starts is to be responsible for notification.

New and re-treatment cases of tuberculosis

New Case

No documented evidence or adequate history of previously active tuberculosis

Re-treatment Case*

• Documented evidence or adequate history of previously active TB that was declared cured or treatment completed by current standards
  AND
• At least 6 months have passed since the last day of previous treatment†
  AND
• Diagnosed with a subsequent episode of TB that meets the active TB case definition
  OR
• Documented evidence or adequate history of previously active TB that cannot be declared cured or treatment completed by current standards
  AND
• Inactive‡ for 6 months or longer after the last day of previous treatment†
  AND
• Diagnosed with a subsequent episode of TB that meets the active TB case definition

2.0 Type of Surveillance

Routine case-by-case notification to the federal level

3.0 Case Classification

3.1 Confirmed case

A confirmed case can be either of the following:

Laboratory confirmed case Cases with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex demonstrated on culture, specifically M. tuberculosis, M. africanum, M. canetti, M. caprae, M. microti, M. pinnipedii or M. bovis (excluding M. bovis BCG strain).

OR

Clinically confirmed case In the absence of culture proof, cases clinically compatible with active tuberculosis that have, for example:

• chest radiographic changes compatible with active tuberculosis;
• active nonrespiratory tuberculosis (meningeal, bone, kidney, peripheral lymph nodes, etc.);
• pathologic or post-mortem evidence of active tuberculosis;
• favourable response to therapeutic trial of antituberculosis drugs.

4.0 Laboratory Comments

5.0 Clinical Evidence

See above

6.0 ICD Code(s)

6.1 ICD-9 Code(s)

010, 010.0, 010.1, 010.8, 010.9, 011, 011.0- 011.9, 012, 012.0-012.3, 012.8, 013, 013.0, 013.1, 013.8, 013.9, 014, 015, 015.0-015.2, 015.7-015.9, 016, 016.0 016.4, 016.9, 017, 017.0-017.8, 018, 018.0, 018.8, 018.9, 137.0-137.4

6.2 ICD-10 Code(s)

A15, A15.0-15.9, A16, A16.0-A16.9, A17.0, A17.1, A17.8, A18.0-A18.8, A19.0, A19.2, A19.8, A19.9

7.0 Type of International Reporting

Enhanced reporting to WHO by member countries

8.0 Comments

9.0 References

Public Health Agency of Canada. Case Reporting and Treatment Outcome Form Completion Guidelines. 2008. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.phacaspc.gc.ca/tbpc-latb/reports_e.html

Date of Last Revision/Review:

September 2008

* Prior to 2008 in Canada, re-treatment cases were known as relapsed cases.

† If less than 6 months have passed since the last day of previous treatment and the case was not previously reported in Canada, report as a re-treatment case. If less than 6 months have passed since the last day of previous treatment and the case was previously reported in Canada, do not report as a re-treatment case. Submit an additional "Treatment Outcome of New Active or Re-treatment Tuberculosis Case" form at the end of treatment.

‡ Inactivity for a respiratory TB case is defined as three negative tuberculosis smears and cultures with a three-month duration of stability in serial chest radiographs or a six-month duration of stability in serial chest radiographs. Inactivity for a non-respiratory tuberculosis case is to be documented bacteriologically, radiologically and/or clinically as appropriate to the site of disease.