TB Patient: Quarantine Conditions "Insane"

Feds Frantically Search For 80 Passengers, 27 Crew On Flights With Infected Man

(CBS/AP)  A man with a form of tuberculosis so dangerous he is under the first U.S. government-ordered quarantine since 1963 had health officials around the world scrambling Wednesday to find passengers who sat near him on two trans-Atlantic flights.

The man told a newspaper he took the first flight from Atlanta to Europe for his wedding, then the second flight home because he feared he might die without treatment in the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Julie Gerberding said Wednesday that the CDC is working closely with airlines to find passengers who may have been exposed to the rare, dangerous strain. Health officials in France said they have asked Air France-KLM for passenger lists, and the Italian Health Ministry said it is tracing the man's movements.

The quarantine order was the first since the U.S. government quarantined a patient with smallpox in 1963, according to the CDC.

Only two of the nearly 14,000 tuberculosis patients in the U.S. last year had the virtually drug-resistant strain the Georgia man has, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.

"Is the patient himself highly infectious? Fortunately, in this case, he's probably not," Gerberding said. "But the other piece is this (that) bacteria is a very deadly bacteria. We just have to err on the side of caution."

Researchers are working on developing a new vaccine for tuberculosis. The current vaccine is considered ineffective and rarely used in the United States, reports Cordes.

Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC's division of global migration and quarantine, said Wednesday that the agency was trying to contact 27 crew members from the two flights for testing and about 80 passengers who sat in the five rows surrounding the man. About 40 or 50 of those people sat in or near Row 51 on the Air France flight from Atlanta to Paris, and about 30 passengers were in or near seat 12C on the second flight, from Prague to Montreal.

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 prior to his departure, doctors did not order him to avoid flying 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 did not 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 honeymooning in Italy, 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 and not take commercial flights.

"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.

CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said the agency was considering sending its jet to pick the couple up in Italy, the newspaper reported.

Instead, the man flew from Prague to Montreal on May 24 aboard Czech Air Flight 0104, then drove across the border to New York where he voluntarily checked into a hospital and was then flown by the CDC to Atlanta. He told the newspaper he was afraid that if he did not get back to the U.S., he would not get the treatment he needed to survive.

The U.S. government is now looking into how the man was able to sneak back into the country after his name and passport were flagged, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella.

He is now at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital in respiratory isolation, but will be transferred to National Jewish Hospital in Denver, which specializes in respiratory disorders, the hospital's spokesman said Wednesday. It was not clear when he would arrive.

[lambofgoth]

What a selfish, self-righteous butt. "I've cooperated with everything other than the whole solitary-confinement-in-Italy thing." Yeah... And with a "Who cares if I give it to other people" attitude.
Schmuck.

[sevenveils]

This man should face criminal charges if my understanding of this article is correct.

1. He was diagnosed by a medical staff and knew he had TB. He also had to know how contagious it is prior to his flights to and from Europe because of doctor consultations.
2. He knowingly gets on a plane and understands the risk he is imposing upon strangers fro his own selfish reasons. He KNEW what he was doing was wrong.
3. He also knew the US would prevent his entry into the US since he an active carrier of TB and had to sneak in, only to be apprehended by the CDC and flown to their main facility.
4. In his interview he mentions he was supposed to be in solitary confinement in Italy, yet disobeyed that order (there's a lot more to this story than we've been told here).

For someone who claims: "I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person," his actions are minimally criminal neglect and endangerment of others with a life threating disease. His behavior is similar to someone who knowing exposed unsuspecting people to HIV.

[ekucrew]

"I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person," sez TB Tommy..why can't he just be throw off Stone Mountain, GA?

[olebd]

So nice to hear he was able t "sneak" back in the U.S. so easily. Great job Homeland Security!!!! What this guy did is punishable, no doubt about it.

[barbaraf4]

Sounds like the CDC needs a few teeth. They told him not to travel, so he gets on a plane and leaves the country; they contact him in Italy and tell him to turn himself in to local authorities for treatment; he gets on another plane and flys to Canada and drives into the US.

The TB thing is bad enough; however, what if he was an infected smallpox carrier terriorist? CDC and Homeland Security need to do some explaining.

[lucylovertoo]

Definition of this guy = Jerk !

He is willing to use our medical system when it works for him but is not willing to follow our laws... what is wrong here ?

I hope we (taxpayers) are not footing the bill for that flight to Atlanta or for his medical care.

[smb221]

What a selfish jackass! He just put a lot of people at risk, and he thinks it's no big deal! They should throw the book at him!

[consciousnes]

This man should be treated just like a terriorest. Anyone who would travel as he did with such a dangerous infection could have infected thousands of people.
He got married, did he kiss his wife? If so, there must have been other people there that would have had to have close contact with him, has he no feelings for his "Loved Ones"?

[vancouverboo]

smb221,
You are EXACTLY right. Selfish and inconsiderate of others.

They should broadcast his name so he CAN suffer the stigma he has brought upon himself, not with the disease, but with his selfisness and inconsideration.

[vancouverboo]

Who needs terrorists when we have "well-educated, successful intelligent" *ssholes?

[frankscp]

I hope his honeymoon was worth endangering the lives of possibly hundreds of people. Especially at risk are infants, old, and ill people--who might die if they contracted the untreatable strain of TB this man carries. The CDC apparently was willing to do almost anything--i.e, have gov't transport home arranged--so his rebuke is especially contemptible.

Why should the US let this man avail himself to it's health care system, when this monster went out of his way to spit in its face????

[frankinaz]

Its a wonder incidents similar to this one don't happen more often, given the fact that there are no disease or any health checks for illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants have re-introduced Tuberculosis two times during my working days in California: Once in Carson, CA and in the fields of Santa Clara County. The sad part of this story was that this "intelligent" yet infected man was
allowed to enter this country, despite his condition, and get past the security measures. His selfishness could have created a serious health problem that could have spread far and wide.

[minminmin-2009]

Something about this story just doesn't add up. He was on his honeymoon?? Why is his wife consorting with him? Is she nuts? Or maybe the risk isn't as great as all that....it's very odd.

[glb1969]

I realize the need for containment in this situation, but it DOES NOT nor ever will trump out this individual's constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom. As usual, the governemnt blew it by acting too heavily handed adn not following the constitution.

[swsoe]

I must disagree Superchez1. The country he run from has the best treatment to those kind of illnes and has the best anti chemical team for weapons of mass destruction in the whole world ( your army use this team as part of NATO forces of first response ) and Im not saying this to lower USA ability or your level of medical care.

[nolalou]

Insensitive jerk is exactly what this guy is! While I don't agree with his decision to disregard his doctors advice against travel, at the point he left the USA for Europe he may not have realized how bad his condition was, and the potential for infecting others.

Once he was contacted in Italy by the CDC and told to turn himself in to Italian authorities, and not to travel, he choose not only to disregard those instructions, but he plotted to 'sneak' back in by flying to Canada, and avoid US authorities.
I don't understand at that point why he is not being treated as a criminal! After his isolation and treatment, he should be charged with a crime!
I don't know what kind of treaties we have with Italy, but I assume he could have been arrested there! He actually has the gall to complain about an armed guard outside his room! He endangered not only those on his flights, but people at the hotels where he stayed, resturants where he ate, and any transportation he took in Europe! (they don't say, for example, how he got from Italy to Prague, if by train, all the people sitting around him may be at risk!)

I hope nobody contracts a fatal strain of TB from this jerk, but if anybody dies from it, he should be charged with manslaughter for each death!

[csmith1948]

glb1969,
You're so quick to point out this person's rights, what about the unsuspecting public who was at risk from this selfish act. Don't they have rights? Next time you fly, just wonder if the person next to you isn't hiding some contagious disease.

[mennowoman]

Anyone could be carrying any infectious disease on any plane. Last year my sister and I flew to Europe on a Czech Air flight and got a terrible case of the flu that almost ruined our trip. There was a woman four rows behind us that had a cough, but not bad enough to alarm us; we thought she had dry throat from the dry cabin air! If she had had a resisant TB, we would be cooked! The close quarters of an airliner lends itself to spreading germs, whether it is a mild case of impetigo or a major case of TB.

[swsoe]

Hmm few more informations. He is american was only taking diffrent plan in my country. So no harm there. Sorry even we do mistakes sometimes.

[swsoe]

Dont judge Czechs too fast guys. First take your world map and find where that country is. Second dont forget its our ally in the fight againts terrorists and support us where they can. Even on our movment againts Global-warming, only their president is tellig that there is no something like Global warming reminds me our Mr President. They build base as part of our protective shiled againts rockets even when most of Czech disagree with the plan of building that kind of base.

[opedanderson]

It's just another example of the Ugly American thinking he can do whatever he pleases. Why not? His country does the same thing everyday. It doesnt matter who he hurts, who he puts at risk just as long as America gets what it wants!!

I live only 2 miles from the airport in Montreal where this guy landed. Good Job!

I hope he chokes on a Big Mac!

[pensacola8-2009]

I wouldn't over-react. 14,000 in this country have TB. Most of us who travel have caught harmless viruses and diseases without knowing it. Many actually boost our imune systems. An immune system with no work to do, gets dormant and ineffective. Some drugs actually work better for us who have been sick and have immune systems with recent experience, because they augment our immune system, instead of directly fighting the virus or bacteria. There was an eboli scare about 6 years ago in the African continent and countries were closing their borders causing the infected people transmit stronger exposure levels to others while waiting in crowds. Had the borders been open, the exposure levels would have been harmless. TV and Hollywood pandemic films are a poor source of education for public health. The public immunity equilibreum is a collection of germs and viruses from the population, not just one person.

[tejasdemo]

so much for Republicans being tough on security. you cant keep one dude out of the country that you had targeted already. knew where he was...who he was...etc etc.

What a bunch of clowns

[guy011-2009]

The doctors advised him not to fly and he did so anyway. Why did the doctors need to "order" him to not expose others? This joker should be locked up in a jail. He exposed others on purpose. That is a criminal act, similar to biting somebody on purpose when one has AIDS.

[bobnjersey]

[As usual, the governemnt blew it by acting too heavily handed adn not following the constitution. ]
[Posted by glb1969 at 10:34 AM : May 30, 2007]

the constitution has a clause for tb? where can i find that?

i'm a huge first and fourth amendment guy ... but this guy was reckless in his behaviour ... and at a minimum the situation should be used as an example of what NOT to do in his circumstances.

i hope he gets better ... but if anyone suffers from the tb ... it should be him!

[opedanderson]

I agree with you Pensacola8, but the point here is that he received specific instructions from the CDC which he refused to follow. And he put other people from other countries at risk for his own selfish desires.

Sound familiar?

It's America's foreign policy in a nutshell!

[dnamj]

1. If you know you have a contagious disease (which TB is), don't get on the damned plane.

2. When the authorities tell you not to fly, and you do anyway, and then deliberately evade the authorities by sneaking in through Canada, expect to get in trouble when you turn yourself in.

3. You can't cure your own disease, if you have XDR TB, you rely on the system, however flawed that is, and that means following the rules.

4. If you happen to get sick in Europe, stay there. You will save money, and they might actually cure you.

[toldyouso21]

"Dr. Steven Katkowsky, director of the Fulton County Department of Health & Wellness, said the man was told traveling was not advised. "

How stupid. Why not make it very clear next time as in: You cannot travel or even be around other people--stay in your home and if you do not obey these rules, you will be placed in isolation or jailed. THAT would have been clear.

Not advised. Advice is something people feel an option to take or ignore--this should not been advised--this should have been ORDERED.

And doctors make me sick. When they say "prognosis is very poor" or the patient is not going to survive or live--what is so hard about saying "YOU ARE DYING?" if it is true--it is an eye opener, if by some miracle it does not come to pass--then it is a miracle--but this skirting and parsing to appear politically correct is **********. And it is amnesty Mr. Bush--anything that excuses or rewards illegal activity in any way, is amnesty. Stop trying to pretend it isn't and just tell us you want us to suck it up and support amnesty--because spin or not--THAT is what it is.

[mtredhawk200]

What a creep! Obviously he didn't tell his bride. That's attempted murder. As for Constitutionality, doesn't someone else's freedom end where my nose begins? If the other passengers AGREED to be exposed to a fatal incurable disease, there might be an argument for personal rights. They didn't have a choice. To be exposed to something like that because of a selfish, immature, irresponsible.....who KNEW what he was doing was wrong (or he wouldn't have been sneaking)is inexcusable and should be punished to the fullest.

[toldyouso21]

There was an eboli scare about 6 years ago in the African continent and countries were closing their borders causing the infected people transmit stronger exposure levels to others while waiting in crowds. Posted by Pensacola8 at 11:43 AM : May 30, 2007

OK. I am a Scientist (microbiologist) and you are full of it. The facts are, that exposure to viruses or bacteria (TB is a bacteria) is not lessened by allowing dissemination into the population. Etiology of any disease has to do with how it is transmitted and how virulent it is. as for antibiotics and exposure, the fact is, that any exposure to a virus or bacteria will cause the body to remember and produce antibodies--BUT exposure to a resistant strain will simply mean that a wild variant (not an attenuated virus or weakened pathogen) can literally run through a population. Resistant strains of a bacteria occur when bacteria are exposed to enough antibiotics to get used to the drug, but not enough to kill it. Over time, it becomes immune. This is usually caused by people NOT finishing a Rx and carrying a low level infection that eventually develops immunity to certain families of drugs. The people in Africa that died, did so not because the borders were closed (it had over an 80% mortality rate) but because the mode of transmission and the fact people were contaminating drinking wells and were allowed to leave the hospitals spread it)

[toldyouso21]

"The man told the Journal-Constitution the CDC contacted him in Rome during his honeymoon, telling him that he had to turn himself in to Italian authorities to be isolated and be treated. The CDC told him he couldn't fly aboard commercial airliners. "
if this part is true--then the man should be jailed. He may not have known he had a very virulent/resistant form when he flew out (it was still being evaluated by the CDC--but he knew it in Rome and yet he still exposed people to it in order to return to America. He should face charges or at the very least be subject to numerous law suits by the passengers--because to fly out of Rome and return to America instead of turning himself in as he was told to do--means he wilfully and knowingly put every single passenger at risk.

[grannyjp]

I bet this moron never listened to his parents or any other authority figure when he was a kid either.

I hope they throw his sorry *** in jail.

[toldyouso21]

Think about this:

A plane is almost a completely closed air system. Meaning there is no new or continual supply of fresh Oxygen and that what is available is pushed around and recirculated throughout all of the cabin space at certain altitudes. This means that not only are the people near him at risk, the entire plane is at risk unless parts had hermetically sealed doors and separate air systems.

The CDC wants to test those people near him to establish a base line for the virulence of the contagion and effectivity of the mode of transmission. If any come back positive for TB--then they will need to test the entire plane--but here is the clincher--they can't test all the people he came in contact with in Europe, Canada or even in America. His neighbors, coworkers, etc also need to be tested. If this form is resistant--it is not as if he was only contagious on the plane and in Europe--it means he was contagious all along--and of course, the person most at risk was/is his new wife. Now, if cases of resistant TB are now reported in Greece, France, Rome, Canada and where ever else this little "Thyphoid Mary" happened to have traveled--what then? And what of each person who came in contact with him who may or may not be able to be contacted by the CDC or WHO?

[ioweign]

"I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person. 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."
You betcha!!
Is this guy's last name Bush by any chance?

[toldyouso21]

This is why contagious diseases and the control of such can never be left up to individuals--(like AIDS was) too self centered and ignorant to curtail their own actions to protect the rest of society.


I don't know why this man is not being charged. The fact he intended to fly after being told of his condition and even practiced stealth to end up back in the US is sickening. He really should have kept his mouth shut.

This man should have to pay for his treatment and reimburse all the countries for the legwork that must now be done to clean up his mess--especially from the point in Rome--where he was told to keep his azz there to be treated and NOT to fly--because it would endanger others.

[toldyouso21]

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."


What a self centered prick. I hope the man has internet access and can see this blog. Americans need to learn that the worship of money and success does not guarantee anything--not that you will live, or be righteous or will be a decent person.

Decent people do not willingly and knowingly put others at risk. Decent people know WHY they have an armed guard outside their door after they ignored the " whole solitary-confinement-in-Italy thing." and they welcome the reassurance such a measure will give the public.

This man is not so intelligent or he would have known he should not fly or endanger others--as for his other attributes--successfulness, being a businessman or even intelligence has never, ever stopped the spread of disease or a bullet. Face it mr. selfish prickkkkk you are not superman and we are not impressed with YOUR needs being placed above hundreds if not thousands of other human beings. I bet some are rooting that this strain STAYS resistant and he croaks-- maybe even think: good riddance to such an ***.

[blondmadison]

Maybe I am missing something...health care in the U.S. is expensive even WITH insurance--why would ANYONE want to SNEAK here for health care?

He sounds a little twisted to me and he acts like a nut too--"sneaking"? So he can be treated like the medical community as well the pharmeceuticals treat people here in America? Oh My Gawd!! LOL!!

I wonder how many folks this nut infected SNEAKing his way back to AmeDica!!! Glad I missed his journey.

[munroe9-2009]

I agree with you, toldyouso - that this guy put his personal wedding not only above the risks to everyone else, but think about how much he has cost the US govt and all the other countries, and the airlines! I think he should donate considerable money to a TB charity and apologize!!! We live in a society of people and we need to think of others.

What kind of moron disobeys an order to turn yourself into the authorities??? I think he should be prosecuted for that, frankly.

[erasmus6]

"Something about this story doesn't add up. He was on his honeymoon?? Why is his wife consorting with him? Is she nuts?" posted by MinMinMIn

I hate to tell you this but the world is full of stupid people. The stupid doctor who ADVISED him not to travel, the stupid person who thinks he is "well-educated, successful and intelligent", yet puts everyones lives as well as his new wife's life at risk, and the stupid wife for marrying him. And then of course there are the ones that should have put him in custody so he wouldn't fly back ....

Ok, I can't believe I am going to say this: I have posted many times about what I think of you Americans carring guns, but what the h-e-l-l, you should be able to use them at least once right? Shoot the b***ard!

[cdfoxtrot]

This jerk is pretty arrogant to assume that Italy's health system is not up to his standards. And putting all those people at risk. What an a**hole. He was scheming enough to fly to Canada rather than attempt to get to the US directly, so he knew what he was doing. If the so-called authorities are unable or unwilling to act, I hope he gets sued by a bunch of those potential innocent victims from the plane ride. Also, what about all the other people he must have been in contact with, in restaurants, hotels, car rental places, etc. during his vacation while he was in his infectious state??

[dan9111]

Americans are "...endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights...".

Maybe we should ban peanuts and perfume? Oh, cigarettes too. Somebody could get hurt.

[toldyouso21]

I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person. 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."


Yeah. YOU are soooooo smart, that you ran your mouth to the press and admitted you snuck back into America AND admitted you were told not to fly and endanger others in Rome and did it anyway. You are sooooo smart that you did not realize the public outrage at your actions and attitudes, may cause us to eventually find out who you are, and demand you be fined or imprisoned or both. You sir "TB Ralph" are a Putz and not at all bright.

[seaslew]

Now i see why ppl dislike Americans so much,
Keep in mind the MEDIA is maybe half correct on what they printed here.
but as they say, when in America, do as the Americans do,,, take advantage of the system.

[ajaxrose1]

I'm sorry for the guy having such a nasty disease, but for crying outloud he SHOULD be quarantined! What a jerk!

[mariep2282]

Why isn't this man being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law?? Ignoring orders from doctors and the CDC and KNOWINGLY infecting tons of people is not an act of an "intelligent" person, but a bioterrorist. I am outraged that no legal action will be taken against this man.

[ssporleder]

This man is THE most STUPID person in the world!
Those that realized the danger he posed to others are next as the most STUPID people in the world!
He is a selfish, arrogant b stard!
The doctors, CDC, etc. were lazy in their "efforts" to get this man away from the public - he was not hiding - they could have easily detained him!
MORONS - all of them.

[secundus2]

"Typhoid Mary" was so badly educated that she continued to take jobs as a cook/housekeeper around NYC. This fellow is educated, he says, but his behavior is the same as Mary's.

[thurguy53]

I don't think that the CDC is being entirely forthcoming with information about the extent of the problem with drug resistant TB. In today's article about the groom being detained by the CDC because he has XDR-TB, they would have you believe that this is an isolated incident and the first of it's kind in the United States. There is at least one other similar case in Phoenix (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/06/142246). Is this a case of CDC trying to downplay the problem with XDR-TB or are they just unaware of the other cases in the US (and, if that is the case, why?).

[apdepetris]

"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."

What a jerk. He complied with everything except that part about not flying. Hey, wait a minute, there wasn't any other part! I hope that no one else contracts the disease from this extremely selfish individual.

Hey, anyone read Stephen King's THE STAND? This is one of the main ways the superflu was spread in the book - one contanimated person on an international flight transmitting it to the passengers and the stewardesses who in turn brought the disease to their respective countries. And then the stewardesses passing it on to passengers on their other flights.

Let's hope the chance of transmission to others is low. If you think about it, a person with a highly communicable disease flying on a commercial airplane could cause an epidemic fairly quickly. I think this guy gave terrorists some new ideas.

[godofredo29]

Clearly, everybody here has fallen for the media spin they're putting on this story. In a week, we'll have found out that this guy was a victim of ineptness of the CDC.