San Diego County health officials announced on Mar. 9 that students and staff at Southwest High School may have been exposed to tuberculosis between Sept. 23 and Oct. 23, 2025.
The notification follows the identification of a third person with proven tuberculosis at the school, unrelated to earlier cases reported in July 2025. Public health authorities say this is not an outbreak investigation, as different strains of tuberculosis were found and the latest case requires its own screening process.
According to county officials, those most at risk have already been notified by both the County’s Tuberculosis Program and Sweetwater Union School District. Free on-site screening will be provided for students and staff identified as having increased risk, with x-ray services available for anyone who tests positive. The county will also offer TB education sessions at the school.
Sayone Thihalolipavan, M.D., MPH, County Public Health Officer, said: “Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. Many people infected with TB do not get sick right away. This is called latent TB infection. Some will become ill later if it is not treated. Blood tests and skin tests are effective ways to detect infection.”
Tuberculosis is spread through airborne particles when a person with active disease coughs or speaks; prolonged indoor exposure increases risk while brief interactions carry lower risk. Effective treatments exist for both active and latent forms of TB.
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TB cases in San Diego County declined from the early 1990s through the 2010s but have risen since reaching a low during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 193 cases in 2020; this number rose each year to reach 247 reported cases in 2024. An estimated 175,000 people in San Diego County have latent TB infection.
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Health officials urge anyone experiencing symptoms or who may be immunocompromised to seek medical care promptly.
