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Web Letter for Passengers
This is an archived document. The links
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XDR TB in Traveler
Dear Passenger or Flight Crew
Member:
A person with extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) traveled on an airline flight
you may have taken in May 2007:
Date |
From |
To |
Airline / Flight# |
May 12/13 |
Atlanta, Georgia |
Paris, France |
Air France #385 // Delta #8517 |
May 24 |
Prague, Czech Republic |
Montreal, Canada |
Czech Air #104 |
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease
caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the
air. TB and XDR TB are spread the same way, but XDR TB is resistant
to almost all of the drugs commonly used to treat TB disease. The
general symptoms of TB disease include cough, weight loss, fever,
and night sweats. When a person with TB disease of the lungs or
throat coughs, sneezes, or speaks, TB germs may be expelled into the
air and can remain airborne for several hours, depending on the
environment. Persons who breathe the air containing these TB germs
can become infected; this is called latent TB infection (LTBI).
This is the first investigation of a
case of XDR TB during air travel. Due to the serious nature of this
strain of TB disease, CDC is recommending that all U.S. residents
and citizens on either of these flights receive evaluation and
testing for TB infection. Passengers who were most at risk were
those sitting two rows in front and two rows behind the patient.
If you were a passenger or flight
crew member on either of the two flights listed above, we strongly
recommend that you complete these steps at your earliest
convenience:
-
See your physician or local health
department and request TB testing. Bring documentation of travel
history for the flight and health history with you.
-
Receive TB testing, which should
include an evaluation of signs and symptoms of TB, a TB skin
test or the QuantiFERON®TB Gold blood test (QFT-G) to test for
TB infection, and possibly a chest x-ray.
-
If needed, return to your
healthcare provider for a second TB test 8–10 weeks following
your flight date (i.e., the time of your last possible exposure
to the patient).
-
Keep a copy of your test results
for your records. If you ever experience any signs or symptoms
of TB disease in the future (regardless of your test result),
see a physician promptly and explain that you were possibly
exposed to a person with XDR TB.
Many persons born outside of the
United States receive a vaccine called
BCG (Bacille-Calmette Guerin)
to prevent development of TB disease; however, we still recommend
that persons who received BCG vaccination should be tested for TB.
For inquiries related to this
investigation or questions regarding payment for TB testing, please
go to
State TB Control Offices.
For more information about XDR TB,
please see these links:
We greatly appreciate your assistance on this important
international XDR TB contact investigation.
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
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Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
Attn: Content Manager, DTBE Web site
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE Mailstop E-10
Atlanta, GA 30333
CDC-INFO at (1-800) 232-4636
TTY: 1 (888) 232-6348
E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
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