TB infected man

[scubadvr99]

Thought I would put this up for discussion.....

My thoughts are that it is scary that so many could have been affected by this. The ones on the plane, if they test positive for exposure, how many have they exposed.

CDC should have made sure he didn't travel and when they found out he had, should've sent a private medical plane to bring him home. I feel sorry for the guy having planned his wedding, but it was kind of stupid to put everyone at risk.

The results of his actions could have been enourmous. Just think if he exposed 5 people, they exposed 5 people, etc......

I know this guy wanted to get home, but my thoughts are, with his resources as an attorney, surely he could have gotten a private charter to bring him home.


Don't know if I'll get dinged or not, just wanted to hear others opinion.

[Luke Davis]

Originally Posted by BrookLyn

ITA with you. Even though he was unaware he had the drug resistant TB he should have exercised better judgement than to put so many others at risk. And, not only those on the plane. What about food service workers, hotel employees, people he handed his credit card or money to, the potential list is endless, IMO. I thought I heard an update on the car radio that he's been released from the hospital. Is that true? I haven't had time to look it up yet.

Thanks,
Brooke

I believe he was sent to a hospital in Denver. Interesting that his father-in-law is a medical researcher in TB.

MOO

[scubadvr99]

That is correct, he is in a hospital in Denver. He may stay there from weeks to months, according to the news.

It's true Brooke, there is no telling how many people could have exposure, from those on the plane to the ticket lines, where he bought food, etc...... Since it is airborne, the possibilities are endless. I know CDC was saying it wasn't going to be too difficult to track, but I think it could have been terrible. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

[Sturgeon_Moon]

It's interesting that putting his name on a list was worthless.

imo

[scubadvr99]

Originally Posted by Sturgeon_Moon

It's interesting that putting his name on a list was worthless.

imo

I agree. I haven't figured out what the purpose of the list is, if it isn't followed. Since it was shown that it had been checked and popped up, the one that let him through is no longer employed, I bet.

Actually, I thought this would turn into a much busier topic here, esp with the possibilitiy of prosecution. I wonder if he will be prosecuted for anything. I could understand not on the first trip, but after they told him not to travel and had his name on the list. Seems like that would be a violation and he could possibly be prosecuted.

Another thought that I had...... If it was that easy for him to cross the border and be on the list..... How many people pass through the border unchecked from Canada. I felt like he knew that was a weak link and that was why he came from there.

[Sturgeon_Moon]

This case is getting some good attention.

[kristen]

From what I understand and I'll have to see if I can find it again but whomever the 'list checker' was saw his name flagged on the list prior to boarding the flight but determined that he didn't look sick so he let him on the plane anyway (I'm paraphrasing the article - it was on Yahoo News in the US).

Sometimes sorry isn't enough - he knew he was sick and common sense should have told him that he shouldn't be flying in that condition and he chose to regardless of his reasoning for doing it. He has potentially harmed hundreds because he didn't want to die in a hospital overseas but he went over there in the first place in this condition (I know he says he doesn't know but anyone with a lick of sense knows they shouldn't fly when they are sick - let alone with TB). Sounds kind of self-centered to me.

[One2Snoop]

Originally Posted by kristen

From what I understand and I'll have to see if I can find it again but whomever the 'list checker' was saw his name flagged on the list prior to boarding the flight but determined that he didn't look sick so he let him on the plane anyway (I'm paraphrasing the article - it was on Yahoo News in the US).

Sometimes sorry isn't enough - he knew he was sick and common sense should have told him that he shouldn't be flying in that condition and he chose to regardless of his reasoning for doing it. He has potentially harmed hundreds because he didn't want to die in a hospital overseas but he went over there in the first place in this condition (I know he says he doesn't know but anyone with a lick of sense knows they shouldn't fly when they are sick - let alone with TB). Sounds kind of self-centered to me.

I have a question for you - hope you don't mind me asking - but what do you do when you have to prep a body thats had an infectious disease? And once embalming fluid is injected is the person no longer infectious? Meaning can they have an open casket or how does that all actually work? Hope these aren't morbid questions for some here but I've always been curious about this process. TIA

[One2Snoop]

Originally Posted by BrookLyn

You bring up some excellent points about him choosing Canada to get over the border. I think you may be right. Up in Niagra Falls you can walk over a bridge into Canada if you want to take advantage of the casinos and all that is over in Canada. It's not too difficult to do, actually. On another note, how many other undocumented people coming over to the US might he had come into contact with that won't know to get tested. IMO, this is a frightening situation. BTW, haven't people with AIDS been prosecuted for knowing they were infected and knowingly having relations with others totally disregarding the fact they could be passing along a death sentence? JMVHO but I seem to recall a case in NYC. Stand to be corrected.

I remember reading about this also - not sure what happened legally as a result of the exposure. I thought I remember several men being imprisoned for knowingly exposing their female partners to the virus. This might be another good thread (re: AIDS) to start for discussion.

[kristen]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

I have a question for you - hope you don't mind me asking - but what do you do when you have to prep a body thats had an infectious disease? And once embalming fluid is injected is the person no longer infectious? Meaning can they have an open casket or how does that all actually work? Hope these aren't morbid questions for some here but I've always been curious about this process. TIA

Don't mind at all. I'll keep it PG. Every body is treated as though it is infectious because most times the body proceeds the paperwork unfortunately. Universal precautions are always in place (gloves, gown, mask, etc.). Then the body is sanitized with general soap and water and/or special sanitation chemicals used in preparation. Embalming is not a guarantee, however, that a body is no longer infectious - it is most likely but may not be. Embalming fluids (formaldehyde, phenol, etc.) will kill most infection but there are certain types that may be resistant (one of which is anthrax in which a body will be placed in a hermetically sealed casket at the hospital and will be disposed of as soon as possible - no cremation due to potential passing it on). But generally speaking infection/disease/illness is unable to thrive in a deceased body and will die off on it's own. Strep throat is one of the 'minor' illnesses that can be passed from deceased body to the living when moving the body and causing the lungs to expell residual air from them and you breathe them in prior to santization.

[kristen]

Not the Yahoo story I saw earlier but gives the same gist of what I mentioned earlier about the inspector disregarding the warning:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...Health_2869316


In regard to being charged in instances of AIDS:

Hamilton woman charged, accused of not revealing HIV status
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/22032007/...iv-status.html

Ex-CFL Player taken to jail for AIDS sex assault
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/football/070208/f020813A.html

[One2Snoop]

WOW - the whole anthrax thing too! OMG! Who would've thought. I'm sure I'll have more questions - thanks for responding.

[scubadvr99]

I agree with one2 WOW!!! Interesting points, thanks Kristen.

I also remember people being prosecuted for assault when they knowingly put others at risk. While I don't think there should be discrimination... when you knowingly put someone at risk, I think you should be prosecuted for assault.

I also agree with Brooke, the potential for a large scale exposure could be huge. Wonder if they took the planes out of service long enough to clean the air filters, etc..... The more I think about the possibilities, the more scared I get

[dallasvic]

Originally Posted by Unsnap

I remember reading about this also - not sure what happened legally as a result of the exposure. I thought I remember several men being imprisoned for knowingly exposing their female partners to the virus. This might be another good thread (re: AIDS) to start for discussion.

Hi O2S,

I remember a case that a guy got AIDS from his guy lover and his lover left his and he was so mad he had sex with about 100 different guy and that was a death sentence right there in my BOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will look and see if I can find out his name so you can read IT was really bad it happened here in Texas .
I do not remember his name but I will see if I can find out his name so you can read the article

[dallasvic]

UPDATE :
By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press Writer Sat Jun 2, 10:44 PM ET


DENVER - A federal microbiologist, the father-in-law of the man quarantined with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, will be investigated to see how he was involved in the case, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday.
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Andrew Speaker, the first person placed under federal quarantine since 1963, has said he, his doctors and the CDC all knew he had TB that was resistant to some drugs before he flew to Europe for his wedding and honeymoon last month.
Robert Cooksey, whose specialty at the CDC is TB and other bacteria, and who attended his daughter's wedding, has said he provided "fatherly advice" to Speaker about traveling with the illness.
Speaker said he was advised at the time by Fulton County, Ga., health authorities that he was not contagious or a danger to anyone. Officials told him they would prefer he didn't fly, but no one ordered him not to, he said.
Speaker was in Europe when he learned tests showed he had not just TB, but an extremely drug-resistant strain known as XDR.
Federal health officials said Friday that Cooksey had helped to find Speaker and diagnose his condition. They would not give any more information about the investigation.
Despite warnings from federal health officials not to board another long flight, Speaker flew back for treatment, fearing he wouldn't survive if he didn't reach the U.S., he has said. He said he tried to sneak home by way of Canada instead of flying directly into the U.S.
He was quarantined May 25, a day after he was allowed to pass through the border crossing at Champlain, N.Y.
Speaker settled in Saturday for what could be a two-month hospital stay by taking antibiotics and fielding phone calls. He had breakfast and spent much of the day on the phone with well-wishers, his nurses at National Jewish Medical and Research Center reported.
Accompanied by his new bride, the 31-year-old Georgia attorney also used a laptop to communicate from his second-floor isolation room, equipped with an exercise bicycle and a TV, hospital spokeswoman Geri Reinardy said.
Speaker was taking antibiotics to battle a tennis-ball-size infection in his lung, Reinardy said. Doctors said his treatment could include surgery to remove the infected tissue if the drugs don't work.
Tests so far indicate Speaker's risk of spreading the infection are low, doctors said. No medical briefings for the news media were planned during the weekend.
Doctors hope to determine where Speaker contracted the disease, which has been found around the world and exists in pockets in Russia and Asia. The tuberculosis was discovered when Speaker had a chest X-ray in January for a rib injury.
Since 2000, National Jewish has successfully treated two other patients with XDR. Dr. Gwen Huitt said they were under quarantine in their home counties, then placed under quarantine in Denver once they arrived at National Jewish, driven there nonstop by family members.
Health officials have contacted 160 of the 292 U.S. citizens who were on the May 12 flight from Atlanta to Paris, according to the CDC. That count includes all 26 who sat in the five rows around Speaker — the ones considered at greatest risk.
The CDC initially said there were 310 aboard the flight but reduced the number because of duplicate names.

[dallasvic]

Originally Posted by BrookLyn

Hi D! How are you today? Thanks for the article. Look like the CDC will be looking for a new microbiologist that specializes in TB How irresponsible of the FIL. He knew better. He could have at least given Speaker some "professional" advice about travelling with TB and suggested he wore a mask or rubber gloves, IMO. Geez, this one truly boggles my mind especially in light of the careers these two men hold. JMVHO.

Have a good day, all,
Brooke

Hey Brooke,
Mornin' to you too

Yes the 2 men should know better. He knew what he was doing an did not have any regard for others. Only thinking of himself and getting from point a to point b. Did you see how many where on that plane. I closed in area for air born virus to thrive and it will still be floating in that plane right know injecting many others.

[scubadvr99]

Thanks for the article. I agree Brooke, CDC may need to find a new specialist

I don't understand that if the lung lesion was found in Jan, why did it take until May/June to see that it was XDR TB. Typically, when someone is suspected to have TB by xray, cultures are obtained and diagnosed within a short period of time. Seems to me that a lot of people dropped the ball on this one. I may be wrong in my thinking, but I thought that one of the duties of the CDC, including the FIL, was to protect the public.

[One2Snoop]

LOL How did the name "Unsnap" (hilighted in red) get in my post that you quoted dallasvic? Who is that?

Originally Posted by Unsnap
I remember reading about this also - not sure what happened legally as a result of the exposure. I thought I remember several men being imprisoned for knowingly exposing their female partners to the virus. This might be another good thread (re: AIDS) to start for discussion.

Originally Posted by dallasvic

Hi O2S,

I remember a case that a guy got AIDS from his guy lover and his lover left his and he was so mad he had sex with about 100 different guy and that was a death sentence right there in my BOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will look and see if I can find out his name so you can read IT was really bad it happened here in Texas .
I do not remember his name but I will see if I can find out his name so you can read the article

[dallasvic]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

LOL How did the name "Unsnap" (hilighted in red) get in my post that you quoted dallasvic? Who is that?

Hi O2S,

LMAO rolling on the floor here:lol: Why are you asking me for ? LMAO I have nooooooooooooo idea what Happened LMAO

I have no CLUE whats going LOL

Anyway this could turn out to be a full blown epidemic and could spread around the world.He came in contact with so many many people I am sure. God I hope it does not happen but it could and the most susceptible will be elder , baby's and people that were sick at the time of contact do to having their resistance down from being ill.

[dallasvic]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

LOL How did the name "Unsnap" (hilighted in red) get in my post that you quoted dallasvic? Who is that?

Some thing weird is happening it did not pick up the whole thing I wanted were you said this would be another good thread (AIDS) O2S what are you doing to this post to make it act like this. Do you have any idea why it is acting so funny and can it be fixed ?
Are you going to start the new thread or what ? LOL

[One2Snoop]

Originally Posted by dallasvic

Some thing weird is happening it did not pick up the whole thing I wanted were you said this would be another good thread (AIDS) O2S what are you doing to this post to make it act like this. Do you have any idea why it is acting so funny and can it be fixed ?
Are you going to start the new thread or what ? LOL

I don't know dallasvic I haven't done anything to the posts.

The AID's subject was just a suggestion - anyone can feel free to start a thread on it if they like.

[dallasvic]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

I don't know dallasvic I haven't done anything to the posts.

The AID's subject was just a suggestion - anyone can feel free to start a thread on it if they like.

O2S, your messing with me!! Just kidding. where should the thread be put here? Anyone else here want to have that AIDS thread ? I do not want to do it if no one comes : ( / LOL

[dallasvic]

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina college students accepted an apology Friday from a man who may have exposed them to a dangerous strain of tuberculosis while on a trans-Atlantic flight.

But several University of South Carolina Aiken students said they are worried about the future and already are being treated differently by others.
Twenty-six students and two faculty members from the school were aboard the flight from Atlanta to Paris on May 12 with Andrew Speaker, 31, who has become the first infected person quarantined by the U.S. government since 1963. The students were part of a study abroad program with the school's business department.
Jason Vik, a 21-year-old business student, said he felt like an outcast when he showed up for a television interview Thursday.
"The makeup ladies were so scared of us after we told them we weren't contagious," he said. "And they wore masks when they put on our makeup. There are lot of people that are just afraid of us. It's ridiculous and ignorant."
Speaker apologized Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America" and said he didn't want any one of his fellow passengers to be in the "state of constant fear and anxiety and exhaustion" he has been through the past week.
Vik and fellow passenger Laney Wiggins, 21, were awaiting results of their skin tests, expected Friday. Other students also have been tested, according to school officials.
Two other passengers from Kentucky also were being tested, according to state health officials.
"I am glad to see that he's taking responsibility for some of this," Wiggins said of Speaker's apology. "It makes me feel a little better about the situation."

[dallasvic]

Since the Atlanta lawyer has been isolated in a special room at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, federal health officials lifted their quarantine order Saturday night, but it was replaced with a Denver health agency's restriction.
Now, local health officials must ensure that Speaker takes his medicine and does not endanger the public.
Such cases are best handled at the local level, where doctors alert public health officials about a new case and they all work together with the patient to treat the infection, said Dr. Randall Reves, the medical director at the Denver Metro Tuberculosis Control Program.

Prayers for the ones he came in contact with

[dallasvic]

Since the Atlanta lawyer has been isolated in a special room at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, federal health officials lifted their quarantine order Saturday night, but it was replaced with a Denver health agency's restriction.
Now, local health officials must ensure that Speaker takes his medicine and does not endanger the public.
Such cases are best handled at the local level, where doctors alert public health officials about a new case and they all work together with the patient to treat the infection, said Dr. Randall Reves, the medical director at the Denver Metro Tuberculosis Control Program.

Prayers for the ones he came in contact with

[scubadvr99]

Originally Posted by dallasvic

Since the Atlanta lawyer has been isolated in a special room at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, federal health officials lifted their quarantine order Saturday night, but it was replaced with a Denver health agency's restriction.
Now, local health officials must ensure that Speaker takes his medicine and does not endanger the public.
Such cases are best handled at the local level, where doctors alert public health officials about a new case and they all work together with the patient to treat the infection, said Dr. Randall Reves, the medical director at the Denver Metro Tuberculosis Control Program.

Prayers for the ones he came in contact with

Thanks for the update.... I agree many prayers for those he came in contact with

[LindaA]

Originally Posted by kristen

From what I understand and I'll have to see if I can find it again but whomever the 'list checker' was saw his name flagged on the list prior to boarding the flight but determined that he didn't look sick so he let him on the plane anyway (I'm paraphrasing the article - it was on Yahoo News in the US).

Sometimes sorry isn't enough - he knew he was sick and common sense should have told him that he shouldn't be flying in that condition and he chose to regardless of his reasoning for doing it. He has potentially harmed hundreds because he didn't want to die in a hospital overseas but he went over there in the first place in this condition (I know he says he doesn't know but anyone with a lick of sense knows they shouldn't fly when they are sick - let alone with TB). Sounds kind of self-centered to me.

Couldn't possibly agree more. He keeps blaming it on the doctors not ordering him not to fly, but I believe he needed to take responsibility for his own actions. Everybody knows TB is highly contagious. And what business does he have getting married when he is so ill? Seems very selfish to me.

[imanewsjunkie]

From his version of the story, the doctors did not make it sound like he was contagious, but it's still TB! And they strongly advised him to delay his travel plans. His method of getting back into the country shows very clearly that he know he shouldn't have been flying. That is beyond irresponsible and he is really lucky no one on around him has gotten sick.