San Diego County Notifies Potential MDR-TB Exposure at Southwestern Community College, October to December 2025

# MDR-TB Exposure Warning Issued for College Campus San Diego County health officials notified individuals of potential exposure to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at Southwestern Community College on the Southwestern Community College campus in Chula Vista.

The exposure period on the Southwestern Community College campus in Chula Vista was between late October and mid-December 2025. The tuberculosis case involves multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

MDR-TB does not respond to standard antibiotics. MDR-TB is harder and longer to treat than standard tuberculosis. Officials are identifying and notifying individuals who may have been exposed to MDR-TB on the Southwestern Community College campus.

Public Health Officer Sayone Thihalolipavan said, "The good news is that TB, including MDR-TB, is treatable and curable with the right medication.

" San Diego Public Health Officer Sayone Thihalolipavan said that early screening is key for MDR-TB. Tuberculosis spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, speaks, or breathes. Crowded indoor settings like classrooms increase the risk of tuberculosis transmission.

who spent extended time on the Southwestern Community College campus during the exposure window could be affected by MDR-TB.

Brief contact on the Southwestern Community College campus carries a lower risk of MDR-TB exposure. Individuals who test positive for TB but show no symptoms have latent TB, where the bacteria is present but inactive. About 5% to 10% of latent TB cases can turn into active cases if left untreated.

San Diego County has an estimated 175,000 people living with latent TB infections.

MDR-TB Case Data There were three MDR-TB cases in San Diego County in 2024.