Southwest Healthcare Employee Diagnosed with TB; Possible Exposure to Wildomar Patients

The following is a news release from the Riverside County Public Health Department:

An employee for Southwest Healthcare System has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis, and the hospital network is working with county health officials to contact those who might have been exposed to the illness.

The individual is being treated and is expected to make a full recovery.

The Riverside County Department of Public Health is working with Southwest Healthcare officials to identify patients and staff at both Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta and Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar who may have been potentially exposed. A letter is being mailed out to those individuals today advising that they be screened for TB. The screening consists of a TB skin test, followed by a chest x-ray if the test is positive.

Southwest Healthcare operates both hospitals.

“The risk of transmission is very low,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, County Health Officer. “TB testing is being recommended as a precautionary measure.”

No other employee has tested positive for the illness. All hospital employees are required to be tested annually for TB. Southwest Healthcare self-reported the illness to the California Department of Public Health-Licensing and Certification. Southwest Healthcare is complying with all infection control practices recommended by the Riverside County Department of Public Health related to this matter.

Those receiving the letter from the health department can contact their own medical provider and be tested or take part in a TB clinic planned at Rancho Springs.

Tuberculosis is a disease spread by close prolonged contact with an individual who has active tuberculosis. People can become infected with TB by breathing air exhaled by someone who is sick with TB. Left untreated, TB can result in serious complications. Common symptoms include a productive cough, unexplained weight loss, fever, and feeling tired. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick.

A person with inactive (latent) TB cannot spread the TB bacteria to others.

Anyone concerned about TB can contact their health care provider or the Public Health Department Disease Control at 951-358-5107. For additional information about tuberculosis, visit the department’s website www.rivco-diseasecontrol.org

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