EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Although the rate of tuberculosis (TB) cases has fallen in the United States over the past two decades,1 continuing importation and transmission combined with the global emergence of drug-resistant strains present an ongoing occupational risk for health care workers (HCWs). To reduce this risk, health care facilities need to implement multiple steps. These steps should include offering up-dated periodic training of HCWs to maintain awareness about potential TB risks; optimiz-ing the design, ventilation, and patient flow in clinical spaces; providing baseline, periodic, and postexposure TB testing of HCWs; us-ing appropriate and effective respiratory pro-tection; implementing active infection con-trol procedures; and periodically updating the facilities-written TB control plans.2,3 Evolv-ing diagnostic methodologies and treatment options highlight the need for occupational and environmental medicine physicians to stay current to provide quality medical care to HCWs