San Diego City Wire

San Diego County News Center reports that the County’s Tuberculosis Control Program is collaborating with the University of California San Diego, Sweetwater Union High School District, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office to notify individuals potentially exposed to tuberculosis (TB) in three separate incidents at different locations.

The County is working with UC San Diego officials to inform students, employees, and contractors who may have been exposed to TB at the La Jolla campus during the 2023-24 school year. The potential exposure period spans from July 1, 2023, to March 20, 2024.

Similarly, residents, employees, and volunteers at Chula Vista High School are being notified of possible TB exposure from February 23, 2024, to May 22, 2024. This effort is in collaboration with the Sweetwater Union High School District.

At the East Mesa Reentry Facility, in partnership with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, notifications are being issued for potential exposures between January 2, 2024 and June 5, 2024.

Ankita Kadakia, M.D., Interim Public Health Officer for San Diego County stated: “Symptoms of active TB include persistent coughs fever night sweats and unexplained weight loss. Most people who become infected after exposure to tuberculosis do not get sick right away. This is called latent TB infection. Some who become infected with tuberculosis will become ill in the future sometimes even years later if their latent TB infection is not treated."

Dr. Kadakia added that blood tests and skin tests are effective methods for determining a TB infection. Individuals testing positive but without symptoms should seek further medical evaluation as they likely have a latent infection which can be treated to prevent future illness.

San Diego has seen a rise in TB cases since declining numbers in previous decades. After reaching a low point with fewer than 200 cases annually between 2020-22 (193 cases in 2020;201 in 2021;208 in), there was an increase of approximately17 percentin2023with243reportedcases returningto pre-pandemic levels

For more information on potential exposures or related concerns contacttheCountyTuberculosisControlProgramat(619)692-8621