County officials warn of potential TB exposure at South County high school

Southwest High School students, staff and visitors may have been exposed to tuberculosis earlier this year, county officials warn.

The county is working with Sweetwater Union High School District to notify students and staff who may have been exposed from Feb. 1 to May 22, 2025. The district did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.

This is the third such warning the county has issued since the beginning of last year for possible tuberculosis exposures at high schools in the district.

In January, the county warned of potential exposures at Palomar High, and last year it warned of a case at Sweetwater High.

The school district and county have warned students and staff at the highest risk of infection, and free screenings are being arranged for those with elevated risk.

Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial disease, and people with frequent or prolonged indoor exposure to someone infected should be tested. Symptoms of active tuberculosis include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss, but most people who are infected don’t get sick right away.

“Some who become infected with tuberculosis will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later, if their latent TB infection is not treated,” said County Public Health Officer Sayone Thihalolipavan in a statement. “For people who think they may have been exposed, blood tests and skin tests are an effective way to determine an infection.”

The county says it’s especially important for people who are immune compromised and have symptoms to seek medical care to rule out active tuberculosis and discuss preventative care.

Treatments are available to cure those with active tuberculosis. Anyone who is infected but has no symptoms should get a chest X-ray and speak with a medical provider; medication can help prevent them from getting sick.