Tuberculosis (TB)
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that damages the lungs or other parts of the body and can cause serious illness and death. TB is caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis.
It is spread by inhaling the bacteria filled air of infected people who cough, sneeze or speak in close proximity to others.
People of all ages, nationalities and incomes can get TB. Each year about 1,500 to 1,600 people in Australia are infected. Between 20 and 45 cases are notified in the Northern Territory (NT) each year.
In almost all instances, TB can be cured.
TB/Leprosy Clinic
The TB/Leprosy Clinic provides the following services and public health response:
- screening for TB and latent TB in at risk populations
- diagnosis and treatment of TB and latent TB cases
- contact tracing
- remote outreach clinics at risk NT Communities
Find out more about the clinic on the Northern Territory Government website.
Contact the Centre for Disease Control TB/Leprosy Clinic.
Notifiable disease
TB is a notifiable disease.
Information for health professionals
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Tuberculosis - CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care |
| Document | Guidelines for the control of tuberculosis in the Northern Territory | NT Health |
| Document | Tuberculosis NT Health factsheet PDF (169.8 KB) | NT Health |
| Document | Latent tuberculosis infection fact sheet PDF (147.2 KB) | NT Health |
| Document | Tuberculosis Two Step Mantoux Testing Fact Sheet | NT Health |
| Document | Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) tuberculosis vaccination PDF (155.3 KB) | NT Government |
| Document | Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) incident and side effects reporting form | NT Health |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | Tuberculosis (TB) | Centre for Remote Health |
Information for the public
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Tuberculosis | NT Government |
| Document | Tuberculosis treatment translations | NT Government |
| Document | Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) factsheet PDF (146.2 KB) | NT Government |
| Document | Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) translations | NT Government |
| Webpage | Tuberculosis | Health direct |
| Document | Tuberculosis pictorial factsheet for patients PDF (597.3 KB) | NT Government |
| Document | Tuberculosis infection (LTBI) pictorial factsheet for patients PDF (919.3 KB) | NT Government |
Exclusion periods for schools and daycares
There is a minimum period of exclusion from school, pre-school or childcare for children or educators with this infectious disease.
Get a copy of the time out minimum periods of exclusion.
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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