If tuberculosis is detected, the public health department, as the local authority, takes targeted measures to prevent the spread of the disease. This includes monitoring hygiene measures, supporting and monitoring tuberculosis therapy and testing people who have had close contact with infectious patients. In order to initiate these measures, doctors and laboratories are obliged to report all cases of tuberculosis to the public health department. The public health department then contacts those affected, advises them about the disease and initiates a so-called environmental investigation in the vicinity of the infected person. For this purpose, all persons who have had close contact with the infected person are questioned about the risk of infection and, if necessary, examined further. In this way, possible secondary infections or existing secondary diseases can be detected and treated at an early stage. The public health department is available to answer all questions relating to tuberculosis.

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