Mayo Clinic/Olmsted County Tuberculosis Clinic

The Mayo Clinic/Olmsted TB Clinic was established in response to a dramatic increase in the number of active tuberculosis cases in Olmsted County residents over the past several years.

The clinic represents a unique partnership integrating public health and an academic medical center. A multidisciplinary team of Mayo Foundation consultants from the Department of Medicine and the divisions of Infectious Disease and Pulmonary Medicine with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial disease staff the clinic. The clinic, located at the Olmsted County Public Health building in southeast Rochester, is designed to improve access, increase efficiency, and provide the best quality of care for patients with mycobacterial disease based on Mayo Foundation and Olmsted County Public Health Department values as well as the recommendations of the 2000 Institute of Medicine report entitled “Ending Neglect: The Elimination of Tuberculosis in the United States”. Full diagnostic services including induced sputum collection, phlebotomy, digital chest radiography and physician evaluation are available in negative airflow rooms along with directly observed therapy. Access to hospital-based services including bronchoscopy and inpatient admission may be facilitated through this clinic.

Since its opening April 13, 2001, the TB clinic has treated almost 50 cases of active (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) tuberculosis. In addition, over 600 cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) have been evaluated and treated. Nearly all patients are foreign-born with the largest group being born in Sub-Sahara Africa. Other groups seen in the clinic are from South/Southeast Asia, Latin America and East Asia/Pacific.

Olmsted County patients with active or suspected tuberculosis are strongly encouraged to receive their tuberculosis evaluation, treatment and follow up through the Mayo/Olmsted County Tuberculosis Clinic. Targeted tuberculin skin testing is recommended for all high-risk populations including recent immigrants from high-prevalence areas.