Tuberculosis (TB) Testing Requirements

As an incoming student, you must have Tuberculosis (TB) testing before arriving on campus. The purpose is to keep the SFBU campus healthy and safe. You must visit your primary care physician (doctor) or a clinician before arriving at SFBU. Please print the following TB Risk Assessment and Clinical Tuberculosis Assessment by Health Care Provider (ACHA Adapted TB Screening Form):

The first part of the form, “Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment,” must be filled out by your medical provider. If your doctor answers “Yes” to any of the questions, he/she must complete the second part of the form, “Clinical Tuberculosis Assessment by Health Care Provider.” Please upload the completed form to your Student Portal. Also, please upload copies of laboratory reports and chest x-rays, if any, with the completed form. If you don’t do this, your form will not be complete, and you will not be able to register for courses.

If you have questions, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below. If you still have a question, please email health@sfbu.edu.

Important Note: Please send the TB test documents only to health@sfbu.edu.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please ask your doctor strongly to fill out this form, and explain that your university requires this form. At least, your doctor should provide his/her own TB test form, together with your medical records.

You must complete another TB test if you have not had a TB test done in the month before the date of your acceptance to SFBU. If you have had a TB evaluation done in the last month, please send the testing report to health@sfbu.edu. SSFBU will review the report to decide if it is enough. Please do not send reports dated more than one month before the date of your acceptance letter.

You will have to get your TB evaluation immediately when you arrive. The TB evaluation takes one to two weeks to complete. You will not be able to register for courses until you complete your TB evaluation.

Please have your doctor complete the “Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment” form to decide if you need to be tested.

 

 

Meningococcal Facts

According to California Health and Safety Code Section 120397, you are being notified about the risks of meningococcal disease.

What you should know about meningococcal disease
  • It is a serious illness caused by bacteria that can infect the blood or areas around the brain and spinal cord. Infection can cause brain damage, disability, and quick death. Meningitis is the most common form of meningococcal disease. Common symptoms of meningitis include stiff neck, headache, and high fever.
  • Meningococcal vaccines can help prevent meningococcal disease. Check with your health care provider about meningococcal vaccines that you need.
How many people get the disease? Who is likely to get it?
  • Meningococcal disease is rare but serious. About 1,000 people in the U.S. get meningococcal disease each year. After babies, older adolescents (teens) and young adults have the highest rate of meningococcal disease. First-year college students living in dormitories are particularly at risk.
How serious is it?
  • About one in ten people who get meningococcal disease will die from it, even with treatment. Up to one in five people who survive will lose an arm or leg, become deaf, suffer brain damage, or have other problems.
How do Meningococcal Bacteria spread?
  • The bacteria are spread from person to person through air droplets. Close contact such as kissing, coughing, smoking, and living in crowded conditions (like dormitories) can increase the risk of getting the disease.
  • Overall, 5-10% of people in the U.S. have the meningococcal bacteria in their throat, but only a few of these people get sick. No one knows why some people get sick and others do not.
How can I protect myself?
  • You can protect yourself by:
    1. Not sharing items that have touched someone else’s mouth, such as cups, bottles, cigarettes, lip balm, and spoons and forks;
    2. Not smoking; and
    3. Getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
  • Check with your health care provider about which meningococcal vaccines you need.
Which Meningococcal Vaccines Should I Get?
  • MCV4 vaccine protects against four deadly types of meningitis. If you have not received this vaccine since your 16th birthday, get it now.
  • MenB vaccine protects against the most common cause of bacterial meningitis among teens and young adults. In recent years, Men B outbreaks have happened at University of California Santa Barbara, the University of Oregon, and Princeton University. Ask your doctor if you should get this vaccine.

For more information about meningococcal disease, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html.