As used in this part 5, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) Active tuberculosis means a diagnosis of tuberculosis demonstrated by clinical, bacteriologic, or diagnostic imaging evidence, or a combination thereof. A person who has been diagnosed as having active tuberculosis and has not completed a course of antituberculosis treatment is still considered to have active tuberculosis and may be infectious.
(2) Board of health means the state board of health created in section 25-1-103.
(3) Contact means a person who has shared the same air space with a person who has active tuberculosis.
(4) Contagious means having a disease that may be transmitted from one living person to another through direct or indirect contact.
(5) Department means the department of public health and environment.
(6) Health officer means the executive director of the department, the state chief medical officer, and county or district public health directors.
(7) Infectious means contagious.
(8) Isolation means separation of a person infected, or suspected to be infected, with tuberculosis from other persons to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.
(9) Latent tuberculosis infection means that tuberculosis organisms are present in a person's body, but the person does not have tuberculosis or symptoms, nor is the person infectious. Such a person usually has a positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test.
(10) Local health officer means the chief medical health officer of a county, district, or municipal public health agency or the health officer for a public health nursing service.
(11) Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis means tuberculosis caused by tuberculosis organisms that are resistant to at least the drugs isoniazid and rifampin.
(12) Screening means measures used to identify persons who have active tuberculosis or latent tuberculosis infection.
(13) State chief medical officer means the chief medical officer of the department, as described in section 25-1-105, or the executive director of the department.
(14) Suspected case of active tuberculosis, suspected case of tuberculosis, suspected tuberculosis, or suspected tuberculosis case means a diagnosis of tuberculosis is being considered for a person, whether or not antituberculosis therapy has been started.
(15) Tubercle bacilli means tuberculosis organisms.
(16) Tuberculosis means a potentially fatal contagious disease caused by the bacterial microorganisms of the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that can affect almost any part of the body but most commonly affects the lungs.
Source: L. 2008: Entire part amended, p. 313, � 1, effective April 7; (13) amended, p. 1906, � 99, effective August 5. L. 2009: (6) amended, (SB 09-179), ch. 112, p. 472, � 13, effective April 9. L. 2010: (10) amended, (HB 10-1422), ch. 419, p. 2093, � 92, effective August 11.
25-4-501. Tuberculosis declared to be an infectious and communicable disease. It is hereby declared that tuberculosis is an infectious and communicable disease, that it endangers the population of this state, and that the treatment and control of such disease is a state and local responsibility. It is further declared that the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis requires that this threat be addressed with a coherent and consistent strategy in order to protect the public health. To the end that tuberculosis may be brought better under control and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis prevented, it is further declared that the department and local public health agencies shall, within available resources, cooperatively promote control and treatment of persons suffering from tuberculosis.
Source: L. 67: R&RE, p. 723, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 66-12-1. L. 73: p. 695, � 1. L. 94: Entire section amended, p. 2762, � 432, effective July 1. L. 2002: Entire section amended, p. 1313, � 1, effective August 7. L. 2008: Entire part amended, p. 313, � 1, effective April 7.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 1994 act amending this section, see section 1 of chapter 345, Session Laws of Colorado 1994.