Huntington Beach, California, March 24, 2025
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports there were 2,113 new cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the state as recently as 2023, a substantial 15% increase compared to the year before. TB cases were recorded in 45 of California’s 61 local health jurisdictions, and CDPH estimates that more than 2 million Californians have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI).
TB is caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis that typically attacks the lungs but can also attack other parts of the body. The disease can be spread from a person with the disease of the lungs or throat through the air from one person to another when they cough, sneeze, speak, or sing. This occurs when people nearby breathe in the bacteria and then become infected, which is why transmission can be a significant risk in healthcare environments and other places where many people share the same space for extended periods of time.
To raise awareness and educate the public about the impact of TB, and to support programs that help to prevent new cases of the disease, March 24th is recognized as World TB Day. This is an important effort as CDPH warns the percentage of people with TB who die in California has increased from 8.4% of people with TB in 2010 to 14% in 2022.
“According to CDPH, the medical and societal costs of TB in California reached $266 million in 2023, up from $217 million the year before,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “The good news is TB is preventable and LA Testing’s network of laboratories can help with infection control testing services and sampling supplies. We offer highly sensitive real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques to identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis from air samples collected on special filter cassettes. These resources can be essential for assessing infection control procedures in healthcare environments and at other high-risk locations.”
LA Testing also sponsored an educational video about World TB Day several years ago that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/CkmUIG-IyHQ
To learn more about environmental testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis or other pathogens, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com, or call (800) 755-1794.
About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.
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