San Diego, California Talk Radio Station - 760 KFMB AM - 760kfmbStudents at two adult schools possibly exposed to tuberculosis

Students at two adult schools possibly exposed to tuberculosis

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - One individual each at adult schools in Oceanside and San Diego were diagnosed with tuberculosis and may have exposed students, faculty and staff, health officials said Wednesday.

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency said the infected individuals were at the MiraCosta College Community Learning Center's Adult High School Diploma Program, at 1831 Mission Ave. in Oceanside, and at the Mid-City Continuing Education Campus, at 3792 Fairmount Ave. in San Diego.

The HHSA said the period of exposure at MiraCosta College could have been from Nov. 22 to Dec. 27 of last year and the period of exposure at Mid-City was from Sep. 6, 2011, to Jan. 26 of this year.

The county will offer free testing at MiraCosta on Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon and at Mid-City on the same day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Those who might have been exposed will be notified, according to the HHSA. The agency did not identify who was ill or release their conditions.

"TB spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes," said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county public health officer. "Typically, only people who have had close, extended contact with the infected person run the risk of contracting the disease."

Most people who are exposed to TB do not develop the disease, Wooten said. She said the illness can be treated and cured with medication, so it is important to identify those who have been exposed.

So far this year in San Diego County, 22 cases of TB have been diagnosed. Last year, 263 cases were discovered, an 18 percent increase over the previous year.