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Kansas State University

Lafene Health Center
Kansas State University
1105 Sunset Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-3761
785-532-6544
lafene@k-state.edu

Tuberculosis Prevention Policy

Tuberculosis continues to be a highly infectious, potentially life threatening disease. Because of the increase in tuberculosis worldwide, and in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations regarding strategies for TB control, Kansas State University (K-State) has implemented the following prevention and treatment policies and recommendations. Any variation in the type of testing to be completed for individual patients requires the approval of the Medical Director of Lafene Health Center.

Testing requirements

Important: Please inform the health center staff if you have EVER had a positive TB skin test or have EVER been treated for TB.

  1. A TB Interferon blood assay is required for the following groups of students at K-State. This is a special blood test which measures how the immune system reacts to the Tuberculosis bacteria. (A chest x-ray will be required if the test is indeterminate or positive.)
    1. New and re-entering foreign-born, nonimmigrant undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students from high risk countries (see definition) or who have lived in a high-risk country for 3 months or more.
    2. Graduate students from high-risk countries who were previously enrolled as undergraduates at K-State must undergo a verbal screening, even if previously tested as an undergraduate.
  2. Mantoux tuberculin skin testing (PPD) is required for the following groups of students at K-State. (A chest x-ray will be required if the skin test is positive.)
    1. Any domestic K-State student who has participated in international travel to a high-risk area and remained in a high-risk area (see definition below) for greater than 3 months as part of an official university program. Testing should be done 6-12 weeks after the student's return. (Students and staff who use the health center's travel clinic will be sent a reminder card upon return to K-State.)
    2. Any domestic K-State student who has lived in a high-risk area (see definition) for greater than three months, who has not had subsequent PPD testing.

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Testing recommendations
  1. A TB Interferon blood assay is recommended for the following groups of students at K-State. (A chest x-ray is recommended if the test is indeterminate or positive.)
    1. Spouses and accompanying adults of persons in category 1A and 2A above.
    2. All nonimmigrant visiting scholars from high-risk countries (see definition).
    3. Persons with indeterminate or positive TB Interferon blood assay tests will be asked to have their children (if any) evaluated at the Riley County Health Department for possible tuberculosis.
  2. Mantoux tuberculin skin testing (PPD) is recommended for the following groups at K-State. (A chest x-ray will be recommended if the skin test is positive.)
    1. Any domestic student not included in the groups listed above who has traveled to a high-risk area within the past year.
    2. Any domestic faculty or staff member who has traveled to a high-risk area within the past year. Faculty and staff may access TB skin testing through their regular health care provider, or through Lafene Allergy/Immunization Clinic.
    3. Persons with positive PPD skin tests will be asked to have their children (if any) evaluated at the Riley County Health Department for possible tuberculosis.

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Enforcement

Lafene Health Center staff will place a hold through iSIS on students who fall in the required testing categories. This hold will be removed only upon completion of testing requirements. Students will be able to enroll in K-State courses when the hold is removed.

This testing must be done in the United States. Test results from outside the United States shall not be accepted. If you have a recent chest x-ray film (less than 6 months), of good quality, with clear patient identification, you may bring the film to the testing session to be read by a radiologist. There will be a charge for this reading. Also, there is a charge for the blood or skin test. If your blood test is indeterminate or positive or if the skin test is positive, you shall be required to have a chest x-ray for which there is also a charge. If you are tested in the United States prior to arriving at Kansas State University, bring the test results to Lafene Health Center or the International Student TB testing session.

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Definition of high-risk/low-risk country*

“High Incidence” areas are defined as areas with reported or estimated incidence of ≥ 20 cases of TB per 100,000 population.

High Risk - Students from these countries MUST be tested.

“Low Incidence” areas are defined as areas with reported or estimated incidence of ≤ 20 cases of TB per 100,000 population.

Low Risk -Students from these countries are not required to be tested.

*Source: World Health Organization (For future updates, refer to www.who.int/globalatlas/dataQuery)

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Tuberculosis testing/treatment and cost

A word of caution: Health care is very expensive in the United States. International students who enroll as first-time students at Kansas State University are required to have health insurance. (See www.k-state.edu/isss/current/healthinsurance.html)

If an abnormality is found on TB testing, you will need to have additional testing and medical visits. There are charges for these services and health insurance will help pay for these, however you will be responsible for payment of some charges.

Plan specifics for the Kansas Board of Regents sponsored policy are at Statewide Student Insurance Program.

Adopted November 28, 2000 (Effective August 1, 2001) Revised: 07/2009

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