(A) Policy statement
Commencing with fall semester 2017 all incoming students with
country of birth, country of citizenship, or application address indicating
time spent in a country of high tuberculosis (TB)
incidence per the world health organization (WHO)
will be subject to mandatory onsite screening for active tuberculosis. ("high
incidence" areas are defined as having reported or estimated incidence of
twenty or more cases per one hundred thousand population.) Students who do not
comply with this screening requirement will have holds placed on subsequent
registration.
Incoming students with suspicion of active tuberculosis, with a
positive symptom screen and/or abnormal x-ray suspicious or active
tuberculosis, will be referred for immediate university of Toledo
(UT) specialist consultation for further
evaluation. Students with active tuberculosis should expect to be isolated and
treated.
(B) Purpose of
policy
Tuberculosis is a common and often deadly disease, which in
humans is caused primarily by the microorganism, mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is spread through the air, when people who have the disease cough,
sneeze, or spit. If left untreated, tuberculosis kills more than half of its
victims. Identification and treatment of active tuberculosis is important for
protecting the health of individuals as well as the public.
(C) Scope
This policy applies to all students at the university of Toledo
arriving from countries with high incidence of tuberculosis.
(D) Procedure
(1) The university will communicate this
mandatory tuberculosis screening policy to all future and incoming
international applicants and students born in or arriving from the world health
organization list of high tuberculosis prevalence countries. The communications
will be coordinated among the various offices responsible for the policy,
including the offices of undergraduate admissions, graduate admissions,
center for international
studies and programs, the student health clinics, the
provosts' offices, and student affairs on both campuses, as well as the
university's website and other communication vehicles.
(2) Effective for fall semester 2017
registration, tuberculosis registration holds will be placed on all admitted
incoming students for whom the policy applies until mandatory onsite
tuberculosis screening questionnaire and any necessary follow-up has been
completed.
(3) Screening
questionnaires will be given to students via application packets to be
completed prior to the student's arrival on campus. Students will be provided questionnaires via an online form
as a portion of the orientation process.
(4) Screening procedure
(a) If the symptom screen is negative,
screening is complete; the student then is permitted to register and attend
classes.
(b) Students who have a
positive symptom screen will be referred to student health services on either
campus for further evaluation by a provider, which may include chest x-ray. The
student should call for an appointment. If that evaluation is negative for
active tuberculosis the registration hold will be removed.
(c) Incoming or current students with active
tuberculosis, will be subject to mandatory tuberculosis isolation. Students
with active tuberculosis should expect to be isolated, and treated for at least
two weeks, during which time most patients are expected to respond favorably.
In rare cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis, the treatment period and
isolation will be extended. Cases of active tuberculosis must be referred to
the Lucas county health department, who will oversee contact identification and
testing and any additional treatment. Depending on the required time for
treatment and isolation, it might be necessary for a student to take a medical
drop or be placed on a medical leave of absence, though alternative means for
completing course requirements, including distance learning, will be considered
whenever possible.
