UCLA
Immunization Requirement

Tuberculosis FAQs

Tuberculosis (TB)

Is the TB screening mandatory?

Yes. You are required to answer the questionnaire in The Ashe Center Patient Portal. Based on your answers, you many need to complete TB testing.

Note: TB testing is mandatory for professional healthcare students.

I did a PPD/T-Spot/QuantiFERON-TB Gold/Chest X-Ray in the past, does it still count?

All TB tests (PPD/T-Spot/QuantiFeron-TB Gold/Chest X-ray) must be done 6 months prior to entry to UCLA. If your TB test was older than 6 months, you are required to complete another TB test.

Unsure how to answer one or more of the TB screening questions?

Question 1: Have you previously tested positive for TB?

• Answer NO if you have never before taken a TB test or have only had negative TB tests in the past.

• Answer YES if you have ever received a positive TB test, no matter how young or old you were.

Question 2: Foreign-born person from a country with an elevated TB rate?

  • Answer NO if you were born in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or a country in Western or Northern Europe.
  • Answer YES if you were born in any other country or region.

Question 3: Immunosuppression, current or planned?

  • Answer NO if not applicable.
  • Answer YES if any of the following apply:
    • HIV infection
    • Organ transplant recipient
    • Treated with TNF-alpha antagonist (e.g. infliximab, etanercept, others), steroids (equivalent of prednisone = 15 mg/day for 1+ month), or other immunosuppressive medication.

Question 4: Close contact to someone with infectious TB disease at any time?

  • Answer NO if not applicable.
  • Answer YES if applicable, no matter how long ago and whether or not the person(s) received medical treatment for TB.

Question 5: Foreign travel or residence of 1+ month consecutively in a country with an elevated TB rate?

  • Answer NO if:
    • You have only traveled within the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Western or Northern Europe.
    • You have only lived in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or a country in Western or Northern Europe.
    • You have only traveled outside the areas above for less than 30 days consecutively.

  • Answer YES if:
    • You answered YES to Question 2.
    • You have ever lived or traveled for 30+ consecutive days outside the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Western or Northern Europe.

What if I had the BCG vaccine?

You are required to submit results of a T-Spot/QuantiFERON-TB Gold/Chest X-Ray done 6 months prior to entry to UCLA to confirm that you do not have active Tuberculosis (TB).

What if I had a reactive/positive T-Spot or QuantiFeron-TB Gold test?

You must submit proof of a normal/negative Chest X-Ray done 6 months prior to entry to UCLA to confirm that you do not have active Tuberculosis (TB). If your Chest X-ray results are concerning for Tuberculosis, you required to submit proof of three negative AFB smears and cultures.