Tuberculosis Screening

All incoming students need to provide documentation of their TB status.  Once this is verified, students will need annual TB screening as a condition of enrollment.

Incoming Students: 

TB screening (TB Skin Test or Blood Assay) is required of all students regardless of prior BCG vaccination.   All incoming MUSC students (and visiting students) must provide documentation of one of the following:

• Two (2) tuberculosis skin tests (Mantoux 5 TU Tuberculin Skin Tests) administered 1 – 3 weeks apart, and both within 3 months of enrollment.   If a student has had a TB Skin test in the 12 months prior to enrollment, they may get one additional TB skin test within 3 months of enrollment to satisfy this requirement.
   
• PREFERRED METHOD of TESTING: Blood Assay for Tuberculosis (Interferon Gamma Release Assay/IGRA) within 3 months of enrollment: QuantiFERON® TB Gold or T-SPOT®
   
• History of previous positive TB skin testing (≥ 10 mm induration) or (+) TB Blood Assay must be accompanied by documentation of the evaluation and treatment of this condition (this includes documentation of TB Skin Testing, TB Blood Assay Lab Report, Chest X-ray Report, Documentation of TB treatment, etc.)

TB Surveillance

• In following with updated CDC guidelines, Student Health Services no longer requires students to obtain yearly TB testing (PPD, Quantiferon Gold, etc.) unless they have been exposed. In lieu of this testing, and in order to evaluate student risk, all students are required to complete an annual TB Self-Assessment, located in LifeNet.
• Some clinical rotation sites and programs are continuing to require annual testing for TB. Students are encouraged to check with their program’s compliance coordinator to determine if they need testing. For students in programs or rotations that require testing, skin testing is provided free of charge at Student Health. Students may also purchase vouchers or obtain orders for blood testing.

Positive Tuberculosis Testing

Students with (+) TB testing are required to undergo further evaluation to exclude active or latent tuberculosis.   Students with (+) TB Skin testing should receive further evaluation with a TB Blood Assay.  If the assay is (+) for TB infection, the student is required to have all of the following:

• Chest X-ray (done after the original positive TB Test).  Unless the student becomes symptomatic, chest x-rays do not need to be repeated.
• TB Symptom Survey
• Health Department Evaluation for treatment.