Santa Clara County health officials urge TB testing as cases rose in 2023
SAN JOSE – Health officials in the South Bay are warning residents at increased risk for tuberculosis to seek testing and treatment, as cases are on the rise.
According to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, TB cases were up 19% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
"These data do not reflect an outbreak, but rather a widely dispersed and increasing community health risk for a contagious illness," the agency said.
Dr. Ann Loeffler, the county's tuberculosis controller, said 168 cases were confirmed.
"A significant number of community members, our neighbors, got sick and required intensive treatment," Loeffler said at a briefing Tuesday.
An estimated 170,000 people in Santa Clara County and as many 13 million people in the U.S. have the bacteria that cause TB disease, officials said. While 5 to 10 percent of individuals with the bacteria develop the disease over their lifetime, the disease can be fatal if not treated properly.
"For the majority of people getting diagnosed with TB in Santa Clara County, it's likely they had the bacteria that causes TB for many years and didn't know it," Loeffler said, adding that early treatment can keep others from getting sick.
Symptoms include an unexplained persistent cough lasting more than several weeks, coughing up blood, chest pain, fever and weight loss.
Officials said people at highest risk of TB disease include those who were recently exposed and young children under 5 years of age. People with weakened immune systems such as those with HIV or diabetes are also at highest risk, along with those who take medications that suppress the immune system and those who smoke.
The county's Public Health Department urges those at increased risk to undergo a simple skin or blood test to determine if they are infected. A list of testing sites can be found on the health department website.