Investigation into Tuberculosis Cases in San Francisco

The San Francisco Department of Public Health is looking into two active tuberculosis cases connected to a local strip club.

The first of these cases was identified in early October. It’s still unclear if the individuals affected were employees of the Crazy Horse strip club in the mid-Market area or if they were customers, as reported by the health department.

In a message to SFGATE, an SFDPH representative indicated, “A contact tracing effort led by the Department was initiated to identify additional cases and prevent further spread. These efforts are ongoing, and at this time, the risk to the general public is low.”

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that can stay dormant for years. Those with latent TB show no symptoms and can’t spread the disease. However, latent TB can turn into active TB at any point, leading to symptoms like fever, cough, and weight loss, which make the person contagious.

San Francisco has been trying to decrease the number of active TB cases for several years. In 2025, the city reported an incidence rate of 9.3 TB cases per 100,000 individuals, significantly higher than the state average of 5.4 cases per 100,000.

Last autumn, a lengthy tuberculosis outbreak at Archbishop Riordan High School gained attention when eight individuals were diagnosed with active TB, and 244 others were found to have the latent form of the disease.

Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, explained that active TB is an airborne disease that can spread quickly in poorly ventilated spaces. “It’s incredibly irritating to the lungs, so that’s why that cough propels the little mycobacterial particles into the air and then you can get it,” she remarked about active TB.

She noted that, in some instances, exposure can occur even after an infected person has left the area.

There are treatments available for both latent and active TB, although they typically involve long courses of antibiotics that can be challenging to manage, according to Gandhi.

Given the possibility of a significant TB outbreak, any identified active cases will prompt a public health investigation to identify anyone who may have been exposed. The health department has the authority to mandate treatment or isolation for those who pose a risk to public health.

“The public health department has the right to contact them and say, ‘Yes, you’ve been exposed, and we need you to get tested,’” Gandhi added.