Physicians in Michigan are required to report communicable disease cases to their local county health departments. Local health departments in the rural counties currently affected by bovine tuberculosis have a good relationship with the health care providers in their areas and any cases of either M. tuberculosis or M. bovis which would occur would most likely be reported as is required by law.

These county health departments have also offered tuberculin skin testing to all persons who feel they may have been exposed to bovine tuberculosis (custom processors, camp personnel, hunters) in their areas free of charge. In addition, they are also providing testing to all persons on farms which have infected herds.

State Level:

The MDCH laboratory receives clinical specimens and cultures for tuberculosis from health providers and private laboratories in the entire state. Public health regulations require all clinical laboratories to forward positive specimens to us for confirmation and drug susceptibility testing.