Tuberculosis Outbreak in Long Beach, California: A Public Health Emergency
A tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Long Beach, California, has led to a public health emergency declaration by the city's health officer. As of now, 14 cases of TB have been identified and nine people have been hospitalized. One person has tragically lost their life due to this outbreak.
The source of the outbreak can be traced back to a single room occupancy hotel in Long Beach, where several individuals were infected. The name of the hotel is being withheld to protect patient privacy and comply with regulations.
The population at risk in this outbreak includes those with significant barriers to care such as homelessness, housing insecurity, mental illness, substance use, and serious medical comorbidities. Health department staff are currently screening contacts for TB based on symptoms, blood or skin tests, and chest X-rays.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. People with weakened immune systems such as those with HIV/AIDS have a higher risk of contracting TB.
The US incidence of tuberculosis increased slightly in 2022 after a decline in 2020 and an increase in 2021. Many cases may have been missed, misdiagnosed, or delayed during the pandemic.
Symptoms of TB include coughing up blood or mucus, chest pain, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. During primary TB infection, most people experience mild symptoms such as coughing or tiredness. During latent TB infection, there are no symptoms as the immune system keeps the bacteria under control.
During active TB disease, symptoms can progress outside of the lungs and affect other organs such as the kidneys, liver, heart muscles, and more. Active TB disease is curable with a standardized course of drugs that usually includes antibacterial medicines.
The resources required to screen and treat a large number of people necessitated the declaration of a public health emergency in order to quickly secure additional resources. The overall risk for the general public remains low, but it's important for individuals who may have been exposed to take precautions and get tested if they experience any symptoms.
The city is working closely with local and state health departments, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to contain the outbreak. The CDC recommends that people with TB infection finish their course of treatment to prevent the spread of disease.