CDC Says Other Passengers Not Likely Infected

Despite being on a "do not board" list from the CDC, a passenger with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis (TB) was allowed to board a US Airways flight 401 from PHL to SFO last week.  The man was only stopped when he attempted to board an international flight at SFO.

Dr. Martin Cetron, CDC director for global migration and quarantine said "When transmission does occur, it tends to occur on long-haul flights [or more than eight hours]. Fortunately, we were able to intercept this individual before they took the high-risk flight."

Because the risk of transmission on the 6-hour flight is lower, none of the other passengers have been contacted about the incident by US Airways.  Public health officials in San Francisco said the man has a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis that is hard to treat.

The CDC is working with the TSA and US Airways to determine why the passenger was allowed on at all.  According to reports, USAir was provided the list 14 hours prior to the flight.

"When DHS was provided the do-not-board information from CDC, TSA quickly followed proper protocol and made this information available to airlines," TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee told CNN.

TB is one of nine diseases, including SARS, which can get a person on the "do not board" list issued by the CDC.  Only 88 names have been on the list since its creation in June 2007. 

ANN previously reported on the case of Andrew Speaker that prompted the creation of the special medical disqualification list. Speaker sparked an international health scare when he traveled to Italy and Canada after being diagnosed with TB and told not to fly.

FMI: www.cdc.gov