April 2026

📊CDC Releases Provisional TB Data  On World TB Day, the CDC released the 2025 Provisional TB Data Report, which provides an early analysis of cases of TB disease reported to the CDC during 2025 as compared with previous years.

👋Welcoming Dr. Masa Narita, DOH TB Medical Consultant

The WA DOH TB Program is excited to announce Dr. Masa Narita has joined the team as the state's new TB Medical Consultant. Dr. Narita joined us on March 16 and has already begun his critical consultation duties.

Dr. Narita began his work in TB during his pulmonary and critical care fellowship in the mid-1990s, training under Dr. Dave Ashkin and caring for complex TB patients at A.G. Holley State TB Hospital. He later served in multiple TB control roles in Florida before being recruited in 2002 to Public Health – Seattle & King County and the University of Washington. For more than 2 decades, he supported clinical care for patients with TB and guided public heath responses to TB exposures and outbreaks.

Continuing his longstanding focus on TB care and support for programs across the state, Dr. Narita is pleased to join the state Program. We're excited for the great deal of knowledge and experience Dr. Narita brings. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Narita!

TB clinical consultation services, both physician- and nurse-based, are available. Please email TBServices@doh.wa.gov or call 206-418-5500 any time consultation is needed.

💊Prescription Coverage

ArrayRx discount is available for your TB patients.

• Free to sign up: No age or income restrictions.
• For everyone: Ideal for uninsured or under insured people, ArrayRx can also be used when insurance won’t cover a medication or offers a higher price.
• Covers FDA-approved prescriptions: Including mail-order and specialty drugs at pharmacies nationwide.

How to get your patient enrolled:

Learn more about the ArrayRx Discount Card (en español).

🌎Recap of World TB Day in Washington State

Staff at Grant County Health District TB Program, Quincy Community Health Center, and Spokane Regional Health District TB Program were recognized by WA DOH for their service and contributions toward the elimination of TB. 

World TB Day: A Conversation With Public Health’s TB Officer - Insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County Staff and video, What Public Health nurses want you to know about TB

The Snohomish County Health Department TB Program created a “Words of Hope” display at the Snohomish County Campus, showcasing stories from persons impacted by TB in Snohomish County and beyond.

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The Mark Twain statue in Tumwater honoring World TB Day.

🎉Celebrating 30 Years of Public Health Service This month, Public Health - Seattle & King County staff, Linh Le and Kim Vuong,  celebrated 3 decades of service, leadership, and care!

Information for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs)

📢Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) 340B TB Annual Recertification

The annual HRSA TB 340B Entity recertification period is scheduled for May 4 – June 1.

• For most LHJs, WA DOH TB Program may reach out for some information, but we will handle the recertification on your behalf.
• For a few LHJs whose TB Authorizing Official is at the LHJ, we will be sending your LHJ manager information needed to complete the recertification accurately.

Please reach out to our program if you have any questions: TBServices@doh.wa.gov

📅Coming Soon: TB Medication Program MOUs, for LHJs Without a 2026 TB ConCon

TB Program managers will soon receive a TB Medication Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Programs with a 2026 TB ConCon are excluded, because the TB medication requirements are already in the ConCon.

The MOU is making formal the agreement to use the TB medications that DOH provides the LHJs without cost. We are constantly working on improving our compliance to HRSA's requirements. HRSA requires a contractual relationship between us and the LHJs participating in our centralized distribution model we use to purchase TB medications using the 340B discount purchasing program. The elements included in the MOU are the same as those included in the TB ConCon Statement of Work. And the requirements in the MOU are things your LHJ should have already setup and be doing, if not it's a great opportunity for your LHJ to improve your program's compliance as well.

Thank you for your participation in this important program providing TB medications without cost to LHJs and your TB patients.

🆕TB Data & Reports Webpage Updated Tuberculosis Cases Statewide by Year, 2021 – 2025 (PDF) Tuberculosis in Washington, Summary Brief 2025 (PDF)

Upcoming Events and Education Opportunities

Level 1: TB Basics, Contact Investigation, and Latent TB Infection

The Curry International Tuberculosis Center (CITC) online, asynchronous training for nurses and public health/disease control investigators can be accessed, started, and revisited at any time during the 10-week course term. Dates: 

• March 23-May 29, 2026 (registration open; closes May 22)
• August 24 – October 30, 2026 (registration opens August 24)

April 16, 2026 | Ocular TB: Recognizing the Vision-Related Clues

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar introduces strategies for identifying ocular TB through symptom recognition, practical diagnostic evaluation, and timely referral to protect vision.

April 25, 2026 | Community Reads "Everything is Tuberculosis"

Join Snohomish County Health Department TB Program staff at the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library for a fun afternoon of sharing your TB insights with the wider community! TB Program staff will provide a Q&A and share their insights into caring for persons with tuberculosis.

April 29, 2026 | 10th UW Annual TB Symposium

This symposium in Seattle, WA is for those interested in clinical and basic science methods and advancements in TB research. 

April – May, 2026 | Wisconsin TB Summit 2026

The Wisconsin TB Summit features free weekly virtual sessions held every Tuesday on April and early May. Join local, state, and national tuberculosis experts as they share their work to understand and improve care for people diagnosed with TB in our community.

May 2026 | Core Concepts of TB Epidemiology for Public Health Practice

The 3-session Training Series for TB Epidemiologists is jointly provided by the CITC and the Rutgers Global Tuberculosis Institute in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• May 13, 2026 | Session 1: Core Concepts of TB Epidemiology for Public Health Practice
• May 20, 2026 | Session 2: Data Flow, Reconciliation, and Quality Assurance for TB Epidemiologists
• May 27, 2026 | Session 3: Advanced Topics for TB Epidemiologists: Data Analysis and Cohort Review (application not yet available)

May 6, 2026 | What Civil Surgeons Need to Know about TB and the Immigration Medical Exam

This CITC training is intended for civil surgeons, and their medical staff who complete medical examinations of applicants seeking to adjust their immigration status in the United States.

May 14, 2026 | Latent TB Infection for Civil Surgeons - Refer or Treat?

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar will offer concise, practical guidance on counseling applicants with latent TB and managing referral and treatment pathways from both the Civil Surgeon and public health nursing perspectives.

May 28, 2026 | Pediatric TB Challenging Cases 

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar reviews common extrapulmonary TB sites in children, their diagnostic challenges, and pediatric treatment protocols.

June 7 – 11, 2026 | National TB Coalition of America 30th National TB Conference

The conference’s educational sessions cover the full range of topics on TB, from basic science and epidemiology to direct patient care.

June 8  –  August 14, 2026 | Level 2: TB Case Management

CITC online, asynchronous training for nurses and public health/disease control investigators can be accessed, started, and revisited at any time during the 10-week course term. Registration available June 8.

June 25, 2026 | Asymptomatic TB or Subclinical TB

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar defines latent TB infection and provides practical guidance on screening protocols and treatment approaches.

July 16, 2026 | Managing Post-TB Lung Health

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar is a summary of post-TB respiratory problems, how to assess them, and evidence-based options for managing long-term lung health.

November 17 – 20, 2026 | 2026 Union World Conference on Lung Health

The Union World Conference on Lung Health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil brings together researchers, practitioners, advocates, policymakers and communities from around the world to share knowledge, exchange ideas and accelerate progress in lung health.

Washington's TB Project ECHO

On select Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. PT, join the lunch-time virtual discussion about real TB cases with your peers. This free interactive event is guided by a panel of local TB experts. Click here for more information about this local project and our partners who make this ongoing event possible.

SEATRAC Seminar Series

SEATRAC hosts and promotes seminars, one Friday session per month from 12 –1 p.m., focused on TB basic and clinical sciences by local trainees', local and visiting faculty, and special guests.

Articles

Tuberculosis before and during COVID-19 Pandemic, United States, 2010–2023

Emerging Infectious Diseases | March 2026 | doi: 10.3201/eid3203.251459

Video Recordings and Education Opportunities

Mayo Clinic Center for TB

• Recorded Webinars (credits not available)
• Foundations in Tuberculosis Course (credits available)
• LTBI 101 for Healthcare Professionals (credits not available)

CITC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units not available for most of these trainings.

• 1.5 CE units available January 1–June 30, 2026: Demystifying Latent Tuberculosis Infection and Treatment for the Primary Care Provider

Rutgers TB Institute Webinar Archives
CE units are not available for these archives. 

SNTC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units are not offered for these trainings. 

SNTC Online Courses
CME units are offered for these trainings. . 

The Union

• Free Online Course - Interpretation of Chest X-Rays in Children with Presumptive TB
• Online Course on Management of Child and Adolescent Tuberculosis

TB ECHO Recorded Archives
Missed a TB ECHO^® session? TB ECHO^® has didactic presentations available for viewing on YouTube. Handouts related to the presentation are included where appropriate. Watch recorded TB ECHO®.

Tools and Resources

Minnesota's Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

• Access helpful tools, trainings, and updates for newcomers and refugee health here.

CDC

• CDC Learning Connection.
• CDC TRAIN is a comprehensive catalog of free public health training opportunities from the Public Health Foundation. For TB-related trainings, click here.
• Visit Everyday Words for Public Health Communication to find plain language alternatives for public health jargon.
• TB Personal Stories patient videos to help raise awareness about TB in the US.
• we are TB offers comprehensive peer support for current TB patients and TB clinics, including weekly live support group sessions.

DOH Refugee and Immigrant Health Program

• Afghan Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources (scroll down for TB resources).
• Ukrainian Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources to support new arrivals from Ukraine (scroll down for TB resources).

Southeastern National TB Center

• Individualized Country Guides

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