In an inpatient facility with fewer than 200 beds that cares for more than three TB patients per year, when should TB screening occur after initial baseline testing?

• A. It should occur on an annual basis
• B. It should occur monthly
• C. It should occur quarterly
• D. It should occur only if symptoms develop

Answer: (A)

Ongoing surveillance is the key idea. After an initial baseline TB test, staff in a facility that has ongoing TB cases needs periodic screening to catch new infections that can develop from continued exposure. Annual testing is the standard approach because it balances safety with practicality and allows early detection of TB infection so it can be evaluated and treated promptly, reducing the chance of transmission. Testing more frequently (monthly or quarterly) isn’t typically required for this risk level, and screening only when symptoms appear would miss people who are asymptomatic but have acquired latent TB infection. In a facility of this size with more than a few TB cases per year, annual screening after baseline is the appropriate practice.