San Diego City Wire

The County’s Tuberculosis Control Program is collaborating with Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church to inform members and visitors about potential tuberculosis (TB) exposure. The church, located at 7669 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA, 92037, identified exposure dates from February 17, 2024, to September 16, 2024. The primary times of concern are during the 8:00 a.m. services Monday through Friday, Saturday's 9:00 a.m. services, and Sunday's 7:30 a.m. services.

Diagnosing tuberculosis can be challenging as individuals may remain undiagnosed for several months while being infectious. Consequently, exposure periods can extend over long durations.

Given that the current evidence points to drug-resistant TB exposure, those who believe they might have been exposed or healthcare providers treating known exposures should contact the County Tuberculosis Control Program at (619) 692-8621 for further instructions. Standard medications used to prevent TB following exposure may not be effective in this instance.

This notification follows another recent report of probable drug-resistant TB exposure within the community. Drug-resistant TB is less common than its drug-sensitive counterpart. Presently, there is no indication of an outbreak in the community.

TB spreads through airborne bacteria inhaled when an infected person coughs, speaks, sings or breathes. Individuals with frequent and prolonged indoor contact with someone sick with TB should get tested.

Effective treatments exist for curing active TB cases. It is crucial for symptomatic individuals and those with compromised immune systems to consult a medical provider to rule out active TB disease and discuss treatment options.

“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss,” said Ankita Kadakia, M.D., County Interim Public Health Officer. “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. For people who think they may have been exposed, blood tests and skin tests are an effective way to determine an infection.”

Individuals testing positive for TB without symptoms of active disease should undergo a chest x-ray and consult a medical provider as they likely have latent TB infection. In such cases, taking medicines can cure the infection and prevent future illness.

San Diego County has seen a decline in active TB cases since the early 1990s when over 400 cases were reported annually. However, since 2020 there has been an upward trend in cases: 193 in 2020; 201 in 2021; and 208 in 2022. In 2023, there were 243 reported cases of active TB disease—a rise of approximately 17 percent compared to previous years—returning case numbers to pre-pandemic levels.

Approximately 175,000 people in San Diego County have latent TB infection; among them, five to ten percent risk developing active disease without preventive treatment.