Air Travel and Tuberculosis, Tropical and Contagious Diseases on Airlines

I traveled to Asia during the scare with SARS. I have been on airplanes where every cough and sneeze was stared down by other passengers with fear of possibly contracting something. The latest scare is a virulent, and possibly drug-resistant form of tuberculosis. This time though it is a young lawyer from Atlanta that traveled to Europe and back with a potentially fatal form of TB carried in his lungs.

It should be said that you should not travel on an airline even if you have the more innocuous forms of TB, and especially if you have this rare, drug-resistant form of the disease.

What is extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB)?
The CDC describes it as "a relatively rare type of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). It is resistant to almost all drugs used to treat TB".

Is it contagious? How does one "catch" it?
TB is potentially contagious. In terms of catching it, the CDC reports "TB germs are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. These germs can float in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. Persons who breathe in the air containing these TB germs can become infected."

Is it fatal?
People infected with this form of TB appear to be at a higher risk for death. The CDC cites those with compromised immune systems have a greater risk of dying from XDR-TB.

Who is involved in this case of tuberculosis?
Andrew Speaker is an American with XDR TB (and is potentially infectious)who traveled to and from Europe on commercial flights in May 2007. Since May 25, he has been isolated/under medical treatment.

What airlines were involved?
Air France flight 385 that departed from Atlanta on May 12 to Paris, and Czech Airlines flight 104 from Prague to Montreal on May 24 are the flights that were involved.

Additional details
The passenger seemed to have been advised not to travel, but was going to Europe for his wedding and honeymoon.

How to contact the CDC for more information
1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).