[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

In case you haven't seen this news story yet, here is an excerpt with the link. Now that we know that this superbug is here in the US, we need to be especially rigorous with our infection control practices.



U.S. seeks fliers possibly exposed to rare TB

POSTED: 8:56 p.m. EDT, May 29, 2007


var clickExpire = "-1";Story Highlights

• CDC: Airline passengers may have been exposed to drug-resistant TB
• Two flights involved: Air France 385 on May 12; Czech Air 0104 on May 24
• Exams urged for passengers in same row, two rows ahead or behind


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Federal health authorities said Tuesday that they are looking for people who may have been exposed to a rare and potentially fatal form of tuberculosis from an infected passenger during two trans-Atlantic flights this month.
The man, infected with the extensively drug-resistant form of TB known as XDR TB, departed Atlanta, Georgia, on May 12 aboard Air France Flight 385 and arrived in Paris, France, the next day, said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The man, who has not been identified publicly, returned last Thursday to North America aboard Czech Air Flight 0104 from Prague, Czech Republic, to Montreal, Canada, then drove into the United States.
"During these two long flights, the patient may have been a source of infection to the passengers," Gerberding told reporters.
Those most at risk would have been seated within two rows of the man, she said

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/condi...ght/index.html

[justpoorfect]

I read an article about several Africans in one area that had this and they were almost all HIV+ at the time. The scariest thing is that they, on average, died within 17 days of discovery.

[oramar]

Do you really think that the doctor's failed to explain the seriousness of the situation to him the way he claims? Or do you think he is just trying to push responsibility for his actions on to someone else?

[NRSKarenRN]

TV news reports in Philly identify him as a lawyer who was informed prior to leaving country.

Comcast.net story:
Groom With TB Under Federal Quarantine

Health officials said the man had been advised not to fly and knew he could expose others when he boarded the jets from Atlanta to Paris, and later from Prague to Montreal.

The man, however, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that doctors didn't order him not to fly and only suggested he put off his long-planned wedding in Greece. He knew he had a form of tuberculosis and that it was resistant to first-line drugs, but he didn't realize it could be so dangerous, he said.
"We headed off to Greece thinking everything's fine," said the man, who declined to be identified because of the stigma attached to his diagnosis.

He flew to Paris on May 12 aboard Air France Flight 385. While in Europe, health authorities reached him with the news that further tests had revealed his TB was a rare, "extensively drug-resistant" form, far more dangerous than he knew. They ordered him into isolation, saying he should turn himself over to Italian officials.

Instead, the man flew from Prague to Montreal on May 24 aboard Czech Air Flight 0104, then drove into the United States at Champlain, N.Y. He told the newspaper he was afraid that if he didn't get back to the U.S., he wouldn't get the treatment he needed to survive.

From AP headlines:
Groom With TB Under Federal Quarantine

The man told the Journal-Constitution he was in Rome during his honeymoon when the CDC notified him of the new tests and told him to turn himself in to Italian authorities to be isolated and be treated. The CDC told him he couldn't fly aboard commercial airliners.

"I thought to myself: You're nuts. I wasn't going to do that. They told me I had been put on the no-fly list and my passport was flagged," the man said.
He told the newspaper he and his wife decided to sneak back into the U.S. through Canada. He said he voluntarily went to a New York hospital, then was flown by the CDC to Atlanta.

He is not facing prosecution, health officials said.

"I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person," he told the paper. "This is insane to me that I have an armed guard outside my door when I've cooperated with everything other than the whole solitary-confinement-in-Italy thing."

Yep, he knew not to fly....

[caliotter3]

IMHO when the first person becomes sick d/t contact with this person, he should be prosecuted just as he would be for knowingly passing on HIV. A lawyer? No excuse.

[caroladybelle]

The irony. A lawyer.

If he caught it on a flight, he would be suing.

But given that this form of TB has what is by some estimates, a 50% mortality rate, he may get to pay in the worst way.

[banditrn]

Don't know when and how this fella contracted this disease - but I read about him some time back - my memory fails me where it was, but he KNEW the risks!

I'm going to bet the incidence of TB and other diseases are on the rise with the open borders the way they are.

[Jolie]

Because of international air travel, this man's irresponsible actions have been brought to light. But the reality is that he was probably knowingly exposing dozens of people on a daily basis simply by going to work, shopping, out to dinner, etc.

This is the sad result of a society where so many people believe that their individual "rights" are far more important than the public good. I sincerely hope that this man is prosecuted.

[Markthemalenurse]

Originally Posted by oramar

Do you really think that the doctor's failed to explain the seriousness of the situation to him the way he claims? Or do you think he is just trying to push responsibility for his actions on to someone else?

In some of the news reports that I listened to, they said that he was informed NOT to travel.

[Faeriewand]

I think he should be prosecuted. And what about exposing his wife? Didn't that article say that he had gotten married?!? What a fool.