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Session Evaluation

AOHC 2026 Concurrent Sessions

Public Health, Surveillance, and Disease Prevention

315 - Defining Exposure: Consensus and Controversy in Occupational Health TB Investigations

Tuesday, April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM CT
Location: Chicago Ballroom X
Claim 1.0 CME

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.


Disclosure(s):

Krithika Srinivasan, MD, MPH, MRO: No financial relationships to disclose
Amy J. Behrman, MD, FACOEM, FACP: Moderna: Honorarium for participating in Voices for Vaccination: A Collaborative Summit (Terminated, August 28, 2025); WebMD/Medscape: Honorarium for Medscape course on latent TB testing and treatment (Terminated, July 7, 2025)
Melanie D. Swift, MD, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose
Rachel Leibu, MD, MBA, FACOEM: Moderna: Stockholder/Ownership Interest (excluding diversified mutual funds) (Ongoing)
Jeremy Berger, DO, MPH, MS: No financial relationships to disclose
Session Description: Tuberculosis exposure investigations are a core occupational health responsibility, especially with rising national TB rates reported in 2023-2024. However, differentiating clinically significant from clinically insignificant events is frequently challenging. Inconsistent definitions of "exposure" across institutions and agencies lead to over- or under-identification of at-risk employees and can result in inefficient resource use. This panel will review the science of TB transmission—including airborne spread, infectious dose, and environmental factors—then use case-based discussions of investigations at various institutions to clarify exposure definitions and their practical applications. This approach will equip participants with a practical framework to improve their own TB exposure investigations.

Educational Gaps: Currently, there are no standardized definitions of “tuberculosis exposure” across institutions leading to wide variability in how occupational health professionals determine which employees are considered at risk. This inconsistency creates confusion in applying evidence-based practices and results in either over- or under-identification of exposed staff, and drives inefficient use of resources.

Is this session being sponsored by an ACOEM Section or Component?: MCOH

Has this session previously been presented?: No

The AOHC 2026 theme is Healthy workers. Healthy world: Protecting workers from tuberculosis exposure is essential to protecting the communities they serve. By promoting consistent, science-based approaches to TB investigations, this session equips occupational health professionals to protect employees, optimize resources, and strengthen public health, all of which are in direct alignment with the AOHC theme of Healthy workers. Healthy world.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the principles of TB transmission relevant to occupational exposure investigations.
  • Compare how different institutions define an exposure during TB investigations.
  • Learn to apply a practical framework to conduct evidence-based TB exposure investigations in their own settings.