Guidance

National Tuberculosis Guidelines for Ireland

The New National Tuberculosis (TB) Guidelines for Ireland are currently being developed by an expert Guideline Development Group in collaboration with the Research and Guideline Development Unit (RGDU).

Importantly for your urgent attention, some of the terminology for TB is changing in these new national guidelines. In the latest chapters, Latent TB is now known as ‘TB infection,’ while Active TB is referred to as ‘TB disease.’ These and any other changes to terminology within the chapters are in line with updated guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO.)

The new guidelines will be published by individual chapter, in a phased approach. This is to support clinicians having the most timely information for action, as quickly as it is available. The new content and recommendations will supersede that of the previous Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland, 2010 - Amended 2014 as they are published.

Issues in relation to specific groups, e.g. underserved populations, will be dealt with at a later stage in the process.

***UNDER REVIEW*** Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland, 2010 - Amended 2014

Case definition

Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex)

Clinical criteria
Any person with the following two:

- Signs, symptoms and/or radiological findings consistent with active tuberculosis in any site
AND
- A clinician’s decision to treat the person with a full course of anti-tuberculosis therapy
OR
A case discovered post-mortem with pathological findings consistent with active tuberculosis that would have indicated anti-tuberculosis antibiotic treatment had the patient been diagnosed before dying

Laboratory criteria
- Laboratory criteria for a confirmed case
At least one of the following two:
- Isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (excluding Mycobacterium bovis-BCG) from a clinical specimen
- Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex nucleic acid in a clinical specimen AND positive microscopy for acid-fast bacilli or equivalent fluorescent staining bacilli on light microscopy
- Laboratory criteria for a probable case
At least one of the following three:
- Microscopy for acid-fast bacilli or equivalent fluorescent staining bacilli on light microscopy
- Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex nucleic acid in a clinical specimen
- Histological appearance of granulomata

Epidemiological criteria
NA

Case classification
A. Possible case
Any person meeting the clinical criteria
B. Probable case
Any person meeting the clinical criteria and the laboratory criteria for a probable case
C. Confirmed case
Any person meeting the clinical and the laboratory criteria for case confirmation

Current as of: 24 January 2019