Press Release

March 24, 2005
Eileen Shields, Public Information Office, 415/554-2507

City Reports Record Low Number of TB Cases Among Homeless

Mandatory Screening in Shelters Begins

San Francisco, CA -- This year’s World TB (Tuberculosis) Day, March 24th, will be filled with some good news about TB incidence levels among the City’s homeless population. Between 2002 and 2004, TB cases among San Francisco’s homeless dropped to a record low number of 11, reflecting a dramatic 70% decline.

Health officials are pointing to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s linkage of services to the homeless as a primary force in driving down the rates of TB among this population. “We are constantly striving to improve the quality of life for our homeless population through a variety of outreach efforts including health and wellness programs,” said Mayor Newsom. “Reducing the rate of TB is yet another positive outcome we hope to see as our focus on real housing and real care continues.” Newsom continued.

To maximize success of targeted screening efforts, the San Francisco Department of Health Services and Public Health have recently begun mandatory TB screening policies in homeless shelters. Along with the new screening efforts comes the use of a new blood test (QuantiFERON-gold ) for TB, focusing its use among the homeless. San Francisco is the first county in the nation to adopt this breakthrough technology. QuantiFERON-gold replaces the less accurate, subjective, 100-year-old skin test for TB.

“This has profound public health implications by eliminating wasted effort and limited resources on those who never show up for their TB skin test reading,” said Dr. L. Masae Kawamura, Director of San Francisco’s TB Control Section. “Up to fifty percent of homeless patients do not return to have their TB skin test checked.”

Although TB can infect anyone, social disparities make it a disease of poverty, crowding and migration, affecting the most vulnerable among us first. For decades, San Francisco’s TB rates have been among the highest in the US, despite the efforts of a nationally renowned and successful TB program. Of no surprise, the homeless have higher rates of TB than the overall population and those who are homeless and HIV+ (15%) have an even greater risk of infection.

Homeless community providers are banding together to address the complex issues of TB, homelessness and health. “The Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center (TARC) in partnership with Tom Waddell Health Services and San Francisco TB Control is a great example of providing health care, TB screening, a new drop in center and programs to the community every day of the week,” said Dr. Barry Zevin, Medical Director of the Health Department’s Tom Waddell Homeless Health Services.

A World TB Day press conference to announce the recent findings of San Francisco’s TB Control Section and other TB-related news will be held on Thursday, March 24, 10 a.m., at the Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center (TARC) 187 Golden Gate Ave.