An Investigation on Tuberculosis Outbreak in the Billiard Room in Northern Taiwan, 2015

An Investigation on Tuberculosis Outbreak in the Billiard Room in Northern Taiwan, 2015

We received the report from the Mycobacterium Laboratory of Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development that the Spoligotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from 8 cases showed the same genotype C00036. These cases belonged to 2 counties, and from 5 different campus tuberculosis outbreaks. After investigation, we found that 3 cases attended junior high school A in Northern Taiwan. Based on the suggestions from expert board meeting, we collected the name list of all students and staffs in the period while the 3 cases were in the school. Then we compared the list to our system, and interviewed extensively those who were reported as tuberculosis cases about their activities. A billiard room in Northern Taiwan came across as the common source of infection. In December 2014, 3 staffs of that billiard room were reported as tuberculosis cases, and their tuberculosis genotype were the same. The billiard room followed public health authorities' suggestions and set another 3 fans for ventilation. Up to June 2017, no new tuberculosis cases related to the billiard room had been reported.