The tuberculosis (TB) epidemic is san francisco high school.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) issued a health advisory on January 29 regarding an outbreak associated with Archbishop Riordan High School.
According to Johns Hopkins University, tuberculosis is a treatable bacterial infection that targets the lungs, but can also infect other organs. It is an airborne infection that spreads through coughs, sneezes, and saliva.
Three active cases of tuberculosis have been diagnosed among Archbishop Riordan High School personnel since November 2025, and more than 50 people have been diagnosed with tuberculosis, according to the advisory. Latent tuberculosis infection Identified within the school community.
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People with latent infection are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is inactive in the body.
Latent tuberculosis is not contagious, but it can develop into the following symptoms: active disease It occurs in 5% to 10% of people.
“Efforts are underway to ensure preventive treatment is available to all these people,” the advisory states.
School staff and students have been told to stay home if they feel unwell and obtain a doctor’s note before returning.
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“Furthermore, tuberculosis evaluation requires All students “Schools and school personnel are eligible, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. Repeat tuberculosis assessments will be required every eight weeks until the outbreak is contained,” the recommendation states.
“At this time, these measures are not required for patients not associated with the AHRS outbreak, as the risk to the general population is low.”
More than 565 people died from tuberculosis in the United States in the most recent year for which official data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
San Francisco’s fatality rate is more than 10%, according to health officials.
Approximately 25% of people may be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but only 5% to 10% experience symptoms and develop the disease. Only people with symptoms are infected.
If you contract tuberculosis, you may experience mild symptoms such as cough, chest pain, and fatigue. weight lossAccording to the CDC, symptoms include weakness, fever, and night sweats.
In addition to the lungs, the disease can also affect the kidneys, spine, skin, and brain.
“Tuberculosis can affect any organ in the body, but lung disease Dr. Masae Kawamura, a former San Francisco tuberculosis control director and tuberculosis clinician, previously told Fox News Digital. “This is dangerous because it causes coughing, which is the mechanism of airborne transmission.”
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In more severe cases, patients may vomit blood, said Kawamura, director of Vital Strategies, a global public health organization.
“People often misinterpret occasional coughs because they often have minimal symptoms for long periods of time. allergicI can’t shake off smoking or colds,” she added.
Tuberculosis can be identified with rapid diagnostic tests. The disease is treated with antibiotics According to the CDC, you should take it daily for four to six months. Some of the most common include isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol.
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If you do not take the medication to the end, the bacteria may develop drug resistance and you may need to be treated with another drug.
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According to Kawamura, if tuberculosis is not treated, about half of those infected will die. “About 25% recover spontaneously, and a further 25% persist as chronic active TB cases,” she said.
“You can do it by breathing. catch tuberculosis In other words, everyone is at risk,” said Kawamura, calling tuberculosis a “social disease of crowding and mobility.”
“Because tuberculosis is airborne, congregate settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, jails, classrooms, and homeless shelters are easy places for tuberculosis to spread, especially when multiple risks are involved,” she added.
People most at risk of developing tuberculosis disease after exposure include: have diabeteshave a weakened immune system, are malnourished, use tobacco, and/or drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Babies and children are also at increased risk.
Doctors say the best means of prevention is to test people at risk and treat potential TB infections.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Archbishop Riordan High School for comment.
