Understanding Tuberculosis Laws in Los Angeles County

Table of Contents

• Mandatory Reporting of Tuberculosis Cases
• Isolation and Quarantine Measures
• Treatment Compliance and Monitoring
• Contact Investigations
• Education and Awareness Programs
• Collaboration with Healthcare Providers
• FAQ's
• Conclusion

Los Angeles County is one of the most culturally diverse places in the United States – and it’s becoming more so all the time. With a current population of 10 million people and a realistic estimate of half a million newcomers over the next five years, the threat of tuberculosis (TB) transmission is ever-present. Knowing the rules for public health regarding TB is important not only for healthcare workers but also for the general public.Within this article, we expand on the statutes contained within Sections 121350 to 121460 of the California Health and Safety Code, which constitute the law governing strategies for the treatment and containment of TB in Los Angeles County. With renewed appreciation for the complexities of legislation behind TB, we hope to bring light to the needs of TB management, while educating readers on how best to protect public health and ensure a tuberculosis-resilient community.

Essential Aspects of Tuberculosis Control

Mandatory Reporting of Tuberculosis Cases

A central stipulation of the TB laws of Los Angeles County specifies that every case of suspected or confirmed tuberculosis shall be reported to the health officer [i.e., the local health department]. This mandatory reporting of TB facilitates the tabulation by public health authorities in the county of the incidence (the new cases) and prevalence (the total number of cases) of TB.

Isolation and Quarantine Measures

When a patient is diagnosed with active and contagious tuberculosis, the county health department can impose isolation and quarantine to limit the spread of infection to others. For many patients, this involves being placed in an isolation ward in a county or state hospital for several months. At the very least, the patient must alert the public health department of all the people with whom he might have shared air space; everyone exposed to him will have to undergo evaluation and screening.

Treatment Compliance and Monitoring

Under Los Angeles County’s TB laws, those diagnosed with active TB must follow the course of treatment ordered by their healthcare providers, which includes taking medications as prescribed and returning for lab testing, as needed. Non-compliance can trigger legal actions unless and until the risk to public health is eliminated by progressing through treatment and curing the disease.

Contact Investigations

Contact investigations are also likely to play a role in reducing the prevalence of TB in the population because the disclosure of cases is essential to identifying individuals who have been infected by an active case of tuberculosis, ranking them in order of exposure to the source of infection, and screening them so that those with active disease can be given prompt treatment, while those with latent TB infection can be given preventive treatment to prevent future cases of active disease.

Education and Awareness Programs

To complement these TB laws and rules, Los Angeles County offers education and outreach programs to instruct the public on how to prevent TB, how it is transmitted, and how it is treated. These programs also work to refute the myths and inaccuracies that have clouded understanding of the disease and encourage individuals to take action to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Collaboration with Healthcare Providers

Efficiently controlling tuberculosis has always depended on close cooperation between public health authorities on one side and the healthcare system and its providers on the other. Healthcare providers diagnose, treat, and prevent the disease, and cooperation among all of them is quite essential to successful TB management efforts.

FAQs

What are the legal requirements for reporting tuberculosis cases in Los Angeles County?According to law, acute care and other healthcare providers in Los Angeles County are required to report all suspected cases, as well as confirmed cases of TB, to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) within two working days of diagnosis. Such reporting requirements provide health department epidemiologists with a means to better estimate incidences and prevalence of TB in the community.

How does Los Angeles County implement isolation and quarantine measures for individuals with active tuberculosis?If someone has been diagnosed with active TB and has the potential to spread the illness to others, the county health department has the right to carry out both isolation and quarantine, measures meant to protect the public from further spread of the disease.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with tuberculosis treatment in Los Angeles County?For persons who have been diagnosed with active tuberculosis in Los Angeles County, adherence to the medical regimen prescribed by the health-care provider is mandatory. Non-adherence results in being subject to the police power of the State, a powerful measure to serve the overall public health in requiring all TB patients to complete a treatment regimen (to prevent the course of the disease and the threat of possible spread), rather than risking the spread to others after the infection has progressed, because an individual simply didn’t feel like continuing the prescribed treatment regimen.

How does Los Angeles County conduct contact investigations for tuberculosis cases?Indeed, in the battle against TB in the community, contact investigations are important. When a new case of active TB is identified, public health authorities work hard to trace those who might have been exposed, and to offer them a TB-skin test and, if they test positive for infection, preventive treatment to reduce their chances of developing active disease later.

Conclusion

Tuberculosis laws in Los Angeles County have been put in place to protect the community and reduce the spread of that infectious disease. Knowing what is expected of you in terms of reporting as well as the treatment and preventative measures leading to a better public health outcome is the primary reason why you need to learn them.

Our TB Compliance can help make it all easier and more manageable. Let us help you customize your reporting, monitor treatment compliance, enforce contact investigations, and – more importantly – stay legally compliant. We can work together to stand up to TB so that the residents of Los Angeles County can be healthier and safer tomorrow than they are today.

Contact us to and let us show you how we can streamline this process.