SAN FRANCISCO — Public health officials in San Francisco are investigating two active cases of tuberculosis connected to a downtown adult entertainment venue, authorities confirmed Thursday.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health stated that it is examining two confirmed infections “associated with The Crazy Horse establishment in San Francisco,” an adult club on Market Street that has operated for more than three decades. Contact tracing began after officials received notice of an initial confirmed infection in early October, NBC Bay Area reported.
“These efforts are ongoing and at this time, the risk to the general public is low,” the health department said in a statement. “If this status changes, we will let the public know.”
Infection Risks and Transmission
Tuberculosis is a bacterial condition that predominantly attacks the lungs and can spread through airborne particles. According to medical specialists, catching the disease typically requires prolonged contact with an infected person who is actively contagious. Symptoms of active tuberculosis can include persistent coughing lasting over three weeks, coughing up blood, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and fever.
Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease faculty member at Stanford University, told NBC Bay Area that the airborne bacteria pose distinct risks in enclosed indoor settings. “The bacteria can hang around in the air long after someone is no longer in that space,” Karan told the station, noting that crowded venues with poor airflow elevate the danger of transmission.
Many people who contract the bacteria develop a latent infection, meaning they show no symptoms and cannot pass the illness to other people. However, without medical intervention, latent infections can later progress into active, contagious illness.
Investigation and Outlook
Experts emphasized that the discovery of two infections does not necessarily signal an active outbreak within the club. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, told NBC Bay Area that authorities must still determine whether the infections were contracted on-site or acquired separately elsewhere.
“They’ll do testing and probably repeat the testing in a few weeks, because again, sometimes the testing may be negative, but because [the bacteria] grows so slowly, eventually that test may turn positive if there was a true infection,” Chin-Hong told the outlet.
The health department stressed that individuals at risk should seek testing and medical care. The city typically records between 60 and 90 active tuberculosis cases each year, with 68 documented cases in 2025, primarily among foreign-born residents, according to municipal data reported by SFist.
The Crazy Horse, which opened in 1994 adjacent to the Warfield Theater, has not publicly responded to requests for comment from news outlets. Health officials said they will continue identifying individuals who may have faced exposure and will notify the public if the community risk level shifts.
