County officials warned Friday of possible tuberculosis exposures at Palomar High School in Chula Vista last year.
The county is working with Sweetwater Union High School District to notify students, employees and contractors who may have been exposed between Feb. 24 and June 5, it said in a news release.
The school district did not immediately comment.
The warning comes about a year after officials warned of a possible exposure at another high school in the district.
Because a diagnosis for tuberculosis can be difficult to establish, somebody can be sick for many months before they become symptomatic and are diagnosed — and thus can expose others for long periods of time.
“Although months have passed since the exposures occurred, there are still meaningful opportunities to protect the health of persons who were exposed,” the county wrote.
Tuberculosis is airborne, and people with prolonged, indoor exposure should be tested. Effective treatments are available for those with active tuberculosis, and it is important for those who have symptoms or are immunocompromised to be tested.
Symptoms include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss, said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county’s 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,” Kadakia explained in the county’s release. “Some who become infected with tuberculosis will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later, if their latent TB infection is not treated.”
Tuberculosis cases in the county have begun to rise since 2020. Previously, cases had been declining since the early 1990s.
In 2020, there were 193 cases. The following year had 201, and 2022 had 208. In 2023, the county reported a total of 243 active tuberculosis cases — a 17% year-over-year increase that brought the county to pre-pandemic levels.
About 175,000 people across San Diego County are believed to have a latent tuberculosis infection, and 5% to 10% may develop an active infection without treatment.
While it’s relatively easy to get people with symptoms to take medication, getting the rest of those to accept treatment is the key to eliminating the disease — which is the stated goal of the county health department.
People seeking more information about the potential exposure should contact the county’s Tuberculosis Control Program at (619) 692-8621.
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