Open AccessTuberculosis surveillance in the United States: case definitions used by state health departments.
Author(s) -
Scott B. McCombs,
Ida M. Onorato,
Eugene McCray,
Kenneth G. Castro
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.86.5.728
Subject(s) - tuberculosis , medicine , disease control , health department , family medicine , tuberculosis control , state (computer science) , environmental health , public health , nursing , pathology , algorithm , computer science
Health departments in all 53 reporting areas in the United States were asked to submit the case definition they used for tuberculosis surveillance. Sixteen areas used the 1990 case definition; two areas sent 1977 guidelines; and 34 areas sent other definitions. Case reports sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1992 were analyzed; 4% of cases did not meet the 1990 definition. Tuberculosis case reporting criteria are not uniformly applied in the United States. CDC, in collaboration with state and local health officials, is evaluating the current definition and will implement uniform national criteria for tuberculosis surveillance.