Man With Drug-Resistant TB Flew to Europe

May 29, 07:46 PM

Current Headlines: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control wants to test anyone who might have had contact with a tuberculosis patient who flew to and from Europe.

The male U.S. citizen suffers from XDR-TB, a form of the disease resistant to both first- and second-line drugs used to treat tuberculosis, CNN reported. He is now in a hospital.

He flew from Atlanta to Paris May 13 on Air France Flight 385 and returned from Prague to Montreal last Thursday on Czech Air Flight 0104, driving home from there.

The CDC says, at a minimum, the crew of both planes and passengers who were seated either in the same row as the patient or within two rows of him should be examined.

As there has never been an airline contact investigation for XDR-TB, it is not known if the current recommendations are adequate to determine the possible range and risk of transmission of infection, the CDC said in a statement. Because of the serious consequences of XDR-TB and anticipated public concern, in addition to the contacts listed above, all U.S. residents and citizens on these flights should be notified and encouraged to seek TB testing and evaluation.