The county’s Tuberculosis Program was working with the Metropolitan Transit System Tuesday to notify riders of the trolley’s Blue Line that they were potentially exposed to and are at risk for tuberculosis.

The exposure happened between Jan. 27 and Feb. 29 of this year, and the specific impacted routes are:

• The Blue Line between 24th Street Transit Center and Barrio Logan Transit Center, on Monday to Friday, on an inconsistent schedule but typically between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the above time frame
• The Blue line between San Ysidro Transit Center and Old Town Transit Center roughly between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and from Old Town to San Ysidro between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16

Since exposures occurred at inconsistent hours, the likelihood that any rider had long cumulative exposure times is low, according to the county. These exposures are not known to be associated with any previously reported exposures on the MTS system.

TB is an airborne disease that is transmitted from person-to-person through inhalation of the bacteria from the air. People with frequent and prolonged indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB should get tested.

“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer, said in a statement.

“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. Blood tests and skin tests are effective in determining whether someone has been infected.”

Taking medicines for latent TB infection can cure the infection and keep people from ever getting active TB disease.

According to the county, the chance of TB infection is highest for people with many hours of cumulative indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB. Brief interactions with an ill rider are less likely to lead to TB infection than are prolonged or repeated exposures.

The County TB Control Program recorded 193 TB cases in the county in 2020, 201 people in 2021 and 208 people in 2022. In 2023, the county recorded 243 people with active TB disease.

An estimated 175,000 people in San Diego County have a latent TB infection and are at risk for developing active TB without preventive treatment, health officials said. People who test positive for TB, but who do not have symptoms of active TB, should get a chest X-ray and talk to a medical provider, as they may likely have a latent TB infection.

Anyone who would like more information on this potential exposure should call the county TB Control Program at 619-692-5565.

City News Service contributed to this article.

The county’s Tuberculosis Program is working to notify residents, employees, contractors and volunteers potentially exposed to tuberculosis at Father Joe’s Joan Kroc Center.

The dates of potential exposure are from Oct. 13 to March 13. This notification is not associated with a separate TB exposure that occurred in November 2023 at a different shelter operated by Father Joe’s Villages, according to a county statement.

TB is an airborne disease that is transmitted from person-to-person through inhalation of the bacteria from the air. The bacteria spreads when someone sick with TB coughs, speaks, sings or breathes. People with frequent and prolonged indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB should get tested.

“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer, said in a statement. “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.”

She added that blood tests and skin tests are effective in determining whether someone has been infected.

According to the county, those without shelter are at increased risk for a variety of reasons, including being in crowded settings, lack of access to healthcare and existing medical conditions.

While the rate of TB is much higher among homeless people, cases in San Diego County show that 90% of people of those diagnosed with TB have not been on the streets.

Taking medicines for latent TB infection can prevent those who test positive from ever contracting active TB disease.

According to the health agency, there were 192 TB cases in the county in 2020, 201 in 2021 and 208 in 2022.

An estimated 175,000 people in the county have a latent TB infection and are at risk for developing active TB. People who test positive for TB, but who do not have symptoms of active TB, should get a chest X-ray and talk to a medical provider.

For more information on this case, call the county TB Control Program at 619-692-5565.

– City News Service

San Diego County’s Tuberculosis Program and the Metropolitan Transit System are working to notify some area travelers that they were potentially exposed to a tuberculosis infection earlier this year.

The warning was issued to riders who used certain Trolley Blue and Green lines and bus riders and drivers who used Route 901.

It applies to the following:

• the Trolley Blue Line between Balboa Ave Transit Center and Old Town Transit Center, and the Green Line between Fashion Valley and Old Town, roughly between 6 a.m. to noon Monday to Sunday from Feb. 16 to Aug. 15
• bus route 901 from Iris Avenue Transit Center to Palm Ave., and Eighth Street 10-11 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. from April 22 to July 15

“Trolley exposures did not occur on a specific schedule,” a county statement read. “As such, large numbers of people may have had exposures, but the likelihood that any particular rider had long cumulative exposure times is low.”

Brief interactions with an ill rider are less likely to lead to TB infection than are prolonged or repeated exposures.

“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, county 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 TB will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later, if their latent TB infection is not treated. Blood tests and skin tests are effective to determine whether someone has been infected.”

While the MTS follows recommended sanitation practices of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TB is airborne and not spread by touch, so cleaning practices do not impact the risk of tuberculosis in transit vehicles or stations, according to the county.

Other MTS riders with TB have been previously reported in August and September 2022, and in February 2023. The county Health and Human Services Agency does not have any evidence directly linking the rider or riders most recently diagnosed with TB to the other MTS riders. Additional lab tests will be conducted to determine if there might be linkages.

People with TB could be sick for many months before they are diagnosed, and as such, exposure periods can be long.

TB is an airborne disease that is transmitted person-to-person through inhalation of bacteria. The chance of infection is higher for people with prolonged indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB.

Individuals who want more information on this potential exposure can call the County TB Control Program at 619-692-8621.

According to county data, the number of people diagnosed with active TB in San Diego County has decreased since the early 1990s and has stabilized in recent years. There were 192 cases in 2020 and 201 people reported with active disease in 2021. In 2022, 208 people were reported with active TB disease in San Diego County.

City News Service contributed to this article.

San Diego County’s Tuberculosis Program and Chuze Fitness are working to notify employees and members potentially exposed to tuberculosis at Chuze Fitness-Mission Valley and Chuze Fitness-Chula Vista, it was announced Friday.

According to the county, there is no evidence to show that these two exposures are related at this time. These exposures are also unrelated to other recently announced TB exposures in the community — such as a case the county reported Thursday at San Diego State University.

The dates of potential exposure at the Mission Valley location, located at 1233 Camino Del Rio S, are from Jan. 4, to Feb. 22 of this year, while the dates of potential exposure at the Chula Vista location, located at 1030 3rd Ave., are from Feb. 1 to April 30 of this year.

Members believed to be at highest risk at the Mission Valley location have been individually notified. Individual members at risk from exposures at the Chula Vista location have not been able to be defined. However, members who attended the location during the afternoons are believed to be at highest risk.

“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, county 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 TB will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later, if their latent TB infection is not treated. Blood tests and skin tests are effective to determine whether someone has been infected.”

People sick with TB may be sick for many months before they are diagnosed, and as such, exposure periods can be long.

TB is an airborne disease that is transmitted person-to-person through inhalation of the bacteria from the air. The chance of infection is higher for people with prolonged indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB.

Individuals who want more information on this potential exposure can call the County TB Control Program at 619-692-8621.

According to county data, the number of people diagnosed with active TB in San Diego County has decreased since the early 1990s and has stabilized in recent years. There were 192 cases in 2020 and 201 people reported with active disease in 2021. In 2022, 208 people were reported with active TB disease in San Diego County.

City News Service contributed to this article.