May 2026

🌎TB and the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Things to Consider

The United States, Mexico, and Canada are preparing to host the FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 19. The tournament is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region. On the West Coast, Seattle and Vancouver, BC are just 2 of the host cities. While matches will take place in those cities, Fan Zones will be set up across Washington—from Bellingham to Vancouver and Bremerton to Spokane —bringing World Cup excitement to communities statewide.

Although TB transmission is less likely than the spread of other germs during large events, the influx of visitors and increased gatherings will raise the overall risk of respiratory disease spread. Visitors may also be unfamiliar with our public health and health care systems, creating additional challenges if they become ill while here.

To prepare for the World Cup and its potential intersection with TB, we recommend your TB teams be prepared to:

• Ask about attendance at the World Cup or Fan Zone events when interviewing people newly reported with TB during and after the tournament.
• Assist visitors from diverse backgrounds, speaking various languages, who might need evaluation for TB, navigate our public health and health care systems.
• Coordinate temporary isolation and support services for visitors suspected or confirmed to have TB.
• Review processes for connecting with state and federal TB officials if a visitor with TB may need temporarily travel restrictions.
• If you need a refresher see Chapter 15: Travel and Transfers on TB Treatment of the TB Standards and Services Manual and the DGMH Travel Checklist.
• Review processes for connecting with local, state, and federal partners if a transfer of information is needed to another jurisdiction.
• If you need a refresher see Chapter 15: Travel and Transfers on TB Treatment of the TB Standards and Services Manual.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, please reach out with questions, scenario planning needs, or with best practices to share that could benefit others. Contact us at tbservices@doh.wa.gov.

💼Career Opportunity

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Disease Prevention and Management Division is seeking a Communicable Disease - Program Manager I, Regular, (1.0 FTE) to serve as the primary subject matter expert in disease investigation and communicable diseases of public health importance.

• Communicable Disease – Program Manager I at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Next review date: 5/20/2026

💊Prescription Coverage

ArrayRx discounts are available for your patients with TB.

Who can use it?

• Free to join – no age or income limits.
• Available to  everyone – especially helpful for people who are uninsured or under-insured. 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 medications at pharmacies nationwide.

How to get your patients enrolled:

1. Anyone living in Washington State can sign up for free online.
2. They download or print their digital ArrayRx card.
3. They show the card at the pharmacy to receive the discount.

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

Information for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs)

🔜 Coming Soon: Updated NTIP Snapshot Reports & Resources

Refreshed National Tuberculosis Indicators Project (NTIP) Snapshot Reports and accompanying materials will be delivered to your inbox later this month, featuring data from 2022 through 2025. The WA DOH TB Program strongly encourages LHJs to use these resources to support internal program evaluation efforts.

In preparation, you can read more about the NTIP: Information for Tuberculosis Programs | CDC

Have a question about NTIP or program evaluation? Reach out to the TB Services Inbox at tbservices@doh.wa.gov.

📦 Are You Prepared to Package & Ship TB Specimens? FREE Hands-on Training for Transporting Infectious Substances

The free, one-day virtual seminar includes HAND-ON exercises to correctly pack, mark, label, and document a shipment. You will receive training supplies for the hands-on exercises and a comprehensive reference manual. The seminar is offered either as a daylong live webinar or a set of self-paced online trainings.

To register, please email TBServices@doh.wa.gov with the below information:

• Full Name
• Email Address
• Contact Phone Number
• Physical Address where the training material will be sent
• Training Option Requested (Category A or Category B training)

The training is delivered by Saf-T-Pak and supported by the Association of Public Health Laboratories for a LIMITED time.

At the conclusion of the training, the participant will be able to:

• Select the correct packaging materials and labels
• Demonstrate how to classify, mark, label, and document Division 6.2 hazardous materials (UN3373, UN2814 and UN2900) and use dry ice properly for transport
• Describe the shipper’s responsibilities and legal implications
• Outline criteria for a shipper to accept or reject a shipment

The training is hosted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), includes an IATA-equivalent certificate and covers all of the IATA requirements. 

💊 CDC Isoniazid No Longer Available

The CDC isoniazid 300 mg with an expiration date of 5/31/2026 is no longer available. Moving forward, all orders of isoniazid 300 mg will now be filled using either the 340B Program or the MMCAP program depending upon the order form submitted and patient eligibility. Please check the 340B and MMCAP SharePoint pages for more details and reach out to us at TBServices@doh.wa.gov with questions.

🤝 340B TB Annual Recertification Completed--Thank you!

Thank you LHJ partners for your cooperation during the Annual HRSA 340B Recertification. Your LHJ has been recertified for another year. This means your LHJ continues to have access to the TB medications that DOH provides without cost using the 340B discount program. If your LHJ also purchases other TB medications, access will continue for the 340B discounted medications through your drug wholesaler.

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)

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 

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 18, 2026 | Supporting Newcomers in Accessing Healthcare

This free webinar is hosted by the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health.

May 28, 2026 | Challenges Managing the Young Child Exposed to TB: A Case-based Discussion 

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar examines how to diagnose and manage young children exposed to TB, addressing clinical uncertainty and applying emerging guidance, including MDR‑TB exposure.

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.

July 23, 2026 | Pediatric TB Webcast Series 1: Adolescent TB

Designed for healthcare professionals, the Heartland National TB Center series highlights real-world challenges and evidence-based strategies to improve TB care across pediatric populations.

August 13, 2026 | Tuberculosis Technical Instructions

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar reviews the updated CDC Tuberculosis Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons, focusing on screening, diagnosing, and referring applicants with infectious TB. Key updates and procedural guidance will be highlighted to support compliance with CDC requirements. 

August 20, 2026 | TB Contact Investigations: Family, School, and Community Cases

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar outlines the process of conducting TB contact investigations and highlights effective school coordination and follow-up practices.

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

Large Tuberculosis Outbreaks — United States, 2017–2023

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) | April 2026 | doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7516a1

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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