Tuberculosis Reported at San Ysidro Middle School
County health and San Ysidro Middle School officials are notifying students and staff of a potential exposure to tuberculosis (TB) after an individual at the school was identified recently with the disease.
According to the County Health and Human Services Agency, the period of exposure was from July 31 through November 28, 2012.
“Tuberculosis is reported more often in the San Diego region compared to the rest of the country, but the number of cases has decreased here over the last decade,” said Eric McDonald, M.D., M.P.H., county deputy public health officer. “TB can be treated and cured with medication. That’s why it’s important to identify those who have been infected.”
Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. TB usually requires many hours of close, indoor contact to spread to others, so most people who are exposed in classrooms do not get infected or develop the disease.
Free testing for students and staff who may have been exposed will take place on December 10 at San Ysidro Middle School, 4345 Otay Mesa Road, San Ysidro.
To date, 213 cases of TB have been reported in San Diego in 2012. Last year, 263 TB cases were reported locally.
For more information about the exposure, call the County TB Control Program at (619) 692-8621.