San Diego City Wire

San Diego County's Tuberculosis Control Program is collaborating with the Sweetwater Union High School District to inform those potentially exposed to tuberculosis (TB) at Palomar High School during the 2023-2024 academic year. The school, located in Chula Vista, CA, was a site of potential exposure from February 24 to June 5, 2024.

TB is an airborne disease spread through inhalation when someone with TB coughs or speaks. Those frequently exposed indoors should consider testing. Effective treatments exist for active TB, and it's crucial for symptomatic individuals or those immunocompromised to seek medical advice.

Ankita Kadakia, M.D., County Interim Public Health Officer, explained that "symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss." She noted that most infections remain latent but could become active if untreated.

In San Diego County, TB cases have been rising since 2020 after years of decline. In 2023 alone, there were 243 reported cases—a 17% increase from previous years. Approximately 175,000 residents may carry latent TB infection without symptoms.

For more information on this exposure incident, contact the County Tuberculosis Control Program at (619) 692-8621.