From: Lischalk, Victoria (ONR) Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2019 5:25 PM To: (Chadwick, Steve (DNR); DNR-WLD-BSS; DNR-WLD-NLR; DNR-WLD-PLA; DNR-WLD- PLN; DNR-WLD-POE; DNR-WLD-PRU; DNR-WLO-SER; DNR-WLD-SWR; ONR-WLD-UPR: DNR-WLD-WHS; DNR-WLD-WPMS; DNR-WLD-WPS; DNR-WLD-WSML; Lischatk, Victoria (DNR); Mason, Russ (DNR); Shine, Stephen (ONR); Thompson, Sara (DNR) TB Notification to WLD Staff High SENT ON BEHALF OF RUSS MASON AND KELLY STRAKA. ‘This message is to notify you of a recent health and safety concern for the Wildlife Division. Staff at the Wildlife Disease Laboratory are TB tested annually to determine if any exposure has occurred due to the nature of the work they perform. This year at their annual testing, 3 full-time Lab staff tested positive on their post season skin tests. All have had negative follow up chest x-rays and are not exhibiting any clinical symptoms associated with tuberculosis, The Infections were deemed by human health officials to be latent, therefore posing no immediate public health concerns, though all will require several months of antibiotic treatment, : There is no way to pinpoint exactly when or how the exposure occurred. The Lab has been following proven protocols for 25 years without a single docurnented exposure until now. We are reviewing those protocols in the wake of these findings. Staff and volunteers that assisted with disease testing at the Lab during the last deer season have been contacted through a separate email. While the likelihood of exposure for volunteers is much less than for full time Lab staff, everyone’s health and safety are very important. TB testing will be offered again at the Division ‘meeting in August. The testing is open to all Division staff and is a requirement for those intending to assist at the lab for the upcoming deer season, However, if you will not be attending the Division meeting or have any reason that you would like your testing completed sooner please feel free to contact Melinda Cosgrove (517- 336-5043) and she will assist you with setting up an appointment. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact the Wildlife Disease Lab. Thank you, . Russ and Kelly Victoria Lischalk Executive Assistant to Russ Mason, Ph.D., Chief and Steve Chadwick, Assistant Chief ONR/Wildlife Division lischalkv@michigan.gov