NationStates Jolt Archive

Tuberculosis - the White Plague: Are you infected?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/05/31/tb.flight.ap/index.html

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Health officials in North America and Europe sought passenger lists for two trans-Atlantic airline flights in their effort to find about 80 people who sat near a man infected with a dangerous drug-resistant form of tuberculosis.

Authorities also disclosed Wednesday that the man was on several flights between various European locales over the course of two weeks earlier this month. Passengers lists for those flights were also being tracked down, they said.

"The investigation is just beginning. It's very challenging," said Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of global migration and quarantine.

The man, who is under the first U.S. government-ordered quarantine since 1963, told a newspaper he flew from Atlanta to Greece for a wedding and then traveled to Italy for a honeymoon. Later he flew back to North America because he feared he might die without treatment in the United States.


So, a man infected with TB goes globetrotting - possibly even to your town(!) - and exposes maybe thousands to possible infection. Tuberculosis kills millions each year. According to wikipedia:

In 2004, 14.6 million people had active TB and there were 8.9 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths

Fifteen million people may be walking among us with TB - are they on your flight? The disease carrier in this case knew he was infected but flew anyway. He isn't being prosecuted, but should he be? In an age when a diseased Nigerian (most TB cases occur in the 'developing' world) can be in London and New York in a matter of hours, should people be held accountable?

We're starting to prosecute people who knowingly transmit AIDS, after all. It may be plausible and even necessary to start throwing the book at the diseased among us who choose to infect others.

Thoughts?

He should be charged with a biological terrorism related charge. I mean comon, how stupid do you have to be to actually go out, and run the risk of infecting other when you know you have TB? Jeez...

They should be treated as criminals and punished accordingly. Intentional infection is no different from going in to a crowded place and randomly opening fire. It's willful endangerment of other people, and is frankly despicable. They should be held responsible for all medical costs, all deaths and personal suffering inflicted by their action.

He should be charged with a biological terrorism related charge. I mean comon, how stupid do you have to be to actually go out, and run the risk of infecting other when you know you have TB? Jeez...

I'm beginning to think so too. His doctor told him he shouldn't fly, but he did anyway. Now he's claiming that the doctor "suggested" he stay home, but didn't "order" it, making it okay. :rolleyes:

I'm beginning to think so too. His doctor told him he shouldn't fly, but he did anyway. Now he's claiming that the doctor "suggested" he stay home, but didn't "order" it, making it okay. :rolleyes:

Yea, because we all know that Doctors, well comon just because they went through eight years of school doesn't mean they know everything, right?

Yea, because we all know that Doctors, well comon just because they went through eight years of school doesn't mean they know everything, right?

I don't trust doctors too much (haven't had a physical in a decade), but if they say to you, based on a blood test, "you have tuberculosis," it's probably the truth. :p

I don't trust doctors too much (haven't had a physical in a decade), but if they say to you, based on a blood test, "you have tuberculosis," it's probably the truth. :p

lol, yea, I was being sarcastic. I have a physical every three years as required by my Private Pilot License, and I'm not a big fan of it really lol.

lol, yea, I was being sarcastic. I have a physical every three years as required by my Private Pilot License, and I'm not a big fan of it really lol.

Yeah. Ever since I saw a few episodes of "mystery diagnosis," on Discovery (I think), I've been even more skeptical. I avoid hospitals at all cost.

Tuberculosis - the White Plague: Are you infected?

Thoughts?

nope, not infected. and my job requires semi annual testing. :D

nope, not infected. and my job requires semi annual testing. :D

Looks like you can breathe easy then, for now. ;)

Slow, aren't you?

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12714522&postcount=1

It's not a black and white matter. Remember, pretty much everyone on this board used to hjave the EXTREMELY widespread disease better known as "the common cold". It should only be limited to those who have a serious (or worse!) disease and know about it, but therre's very few ways of proving that they knew they had it. I assure you that I'm not a doctor, but I'm just as sure that there are non-infectious things (cancer, anyone?) with sym,ptoms astonishingly similar to one that IS infectious (such as TB!)

So, a man infected with TB goes globetrotting - possibly even to your town(!) - and exposes maybe thousands to possible infection. Tuberculosis kills millions each year. *gasp* My own town you say?! But thar be dragons beyond them walls!:rolleyes:



Fifteen million people may be walking among us with TB - are they on your flight? The disease carrier in this case knew he was infected but flew anyway. He isn't being prosecuted, but should he be? In an age when a diseased Nigerian (most TB cases occur in the 'developing' world) can be in London and New York in a matter of hours, should people be held accountable?And yet, the majority of TB cases are not particularly fatal. Most are not drug resistant forms, and, for those of us lucky enough to live in the West, we have access to treatment. Really, I have better things to panic and waste money prosecuting than people who fly with TB.

The guy who flew was still an idiot tho.

We're starting to prosecute people who knowingly transmit AIDS, after all. It may be plausible and even necessary to start throwing the book at the diseased among us who choose to infect others.

Thoughts?AIDS still has no cure 100% of the time, and permenantly effects the persons life. TB is generally treatable. Which form are we talking about, and how do you intend on proving it (remember, most diseases are at their peak infectability levels 3 days prior to symptoms)


as for not "trusting" doctors, well, really, you aren't much smarter than the guy who knowingly flew with a contageous and fatal form of TB.

It's not a black and white matter. Remember, pretty much everyone on this board used to hjave the EXTREMELY widespread disease better known as "the common cold". It should only be limited to those who have a serious (or worse!) disease and know about it, but therre's very few ways of proving that they knew they had it. I assure you that I'm not a doctor, but I'm just as sure that there are non-infectious things (cancer, anyone?) with sym,ptoms astonishingly similar to one that IS infectious (such as TB!)

...what kind of cancer looks similar to TB?

Tuberculosis - the White Plague: Are you infected?



This has far more panic/fear potential than the badly named "Bird Flu". I forsee great fear mongering ahead...Especially if it can be linked with Beards, Islam and Burqas....

I don't know -- as I said, I'm not a doctor, nor do I have any medical training (save what they teach everyone in health class). But with all the diseases there almost has to be SOME resemblances.

1.7 million is not "millions". You're quite the hypochondriac aren't you TPC?

as for not "trusting" doctors, well, really, you aren't much smarter than the guy who knowingly flew with a contageous and fatal form of TB.Doctors make mistakes too.

My sister, as a baby, was misdiagnosed as not having meningitis not once, but twice in the same night, before a third doctor diagnosed her with Meningitis. He didn't even bother to call an ambulance, but drove her and my mum straight to the hospital himself.

I think the second doctor was even brought before the GMC for telling her to stop being so silly.

Looks like the ACLU doesn't like quarantine.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0530tbguy0530.html

I personally believe that if you continually refuse to take your meds, and threaten staff, and have parties at your house where you deliberately endanger other people by not wearing a mask, then your quarantine should be as simple and meager as possible while maintaining a strict isolation.

If this particular guy (in my link) had been halfway cooperative, I could argue for better quarantine conditions.

Note his comment that he believes he'll finally be "out". Out where? In public?

It's ok, i've been Jabbed!

It's ok, i've been Jabbed!

In the other thread I posted information that your vaccine varies in efficacy from 77% to 0%, depending on the study.

Good luck!

I don't know -- as I said, I'm not a doctor, nor do I have any medical training (save what they teach everyone in health class). But with all the diseases there almost has to be SOME resemblances.

Cancer can give you haemoptysis (blood in the sputum), night sweats, tiredness, weight loss, etc just like TB

Doctors would consider multiple causes of a group of symptoms in a differential diagnosis. They then work from that point and narrow it down to get to the actual cause.

In the other thread I posted information that your vaccine varies in efficacy from 77% to 0%, depending on the study.

Good luck!Meh, I had natural immunity to TB. I had a pretty hefty reaction to their tester thing. I reacted almost as much as another Japanese kid who had the vaccination before he came to the UK. I got jabbed, he didn't. Now I have a crappy scar on my arm. :mad:

I don't know -- as I said, I'm not a doctor, nor do I have any medical training (save what they teach everyone in health class). But with all the diseases there almost has to be SOME resemblances.
Yes, TB does resemble some other diseases...but not cancer. (that is, there may be a handful of symptoms that are shared, but not enough to confuse diagnosis)

Doctors make mistakes too.

My sister, as a baby, was misdiagnosed as not having meningitis not once, but twice in the same night, before a third doctor diagnosed her with Meningitis. He didn't even bother to call an ambulance, but drove her and my mum straight to the hospital himself.

I think the second doctor was even brought before the GMC for telling her to stop being so silly.
Yes, doctors can make mistakes. But which is worse, a few misdiagnosises, or never having found out?
Yes, having a misdiagnosis (which, mind you, is not always a mistake. Actually, most of the time, it isn't. It is just what best fits the symptoms at the time). sucks. But which is worse: having prostate cancer that gets misdiagnosed twice and finally treated upon later review, or dieing because you have it stuck in your head that "doctors make mistakes so I don't have to go".

Find a good doctor and go. Or don't. Not my problem, really. But don't be surprised when a severe disease that could have easily been treated earlier comes around.

Find a good doctor and go. Or don't. Not my problem, really. But don't be surprised when a severe disease that could have easily been treated earlier comes around.

Welcome to the American medical system! No one can afford to just pop into a doctor over a sniffle. Unless you're on medicaid. Then I can't afford for your lazy ass to pop into the doctor!

If you can't handle a little disease, you should die.

I mean .. come on ... we live in a world where TB is just a slightly stronger cold.

Get an antibiotic and move on with life. Yeesh. Don't be such babies. :P

If you can't handle a little disease, you should die.

I mean .. come on ... we live in a world where TB is just a slightly stronger cold.

Get an antibiotic and move on with life. Yeesh. Don't be such babies. :P

Keru, don't make me cry.

If you can't handle a little disease, you should die.

I mean .. come on ... we live in a world where TB is just a slightly stronger cold.

Get an antibiotic and move on with life. Yeesh. Don't be such babies. :P

I'm reminded of Carlin's rant on "You're all diseased" about his childhood and modern methods of disease prevention.

Welcome to the American medical system! No one can afford to just pop into a doctor over a sniffle. Unless you're on medicaid. Then I can't afford for your lazy ass to pop into the doctor!

I'm not quite talking a sniffle. More, a yearly checkup (covered by all insurance plans [yes, I know, not everyone has medical insurance. Except for MA, where it is now illegal to be a citizen of the state without it]). That, and when you are coughing up blood and the like. You know, small things like that.

Not to mention free clinics.

I'm not quite talking a sniffle. More, a yearly checkup (covered by all insurance plans [yes, I know, not everyone has medical insurance. Except for MA, where it is now illegal to be a citizen of the state without it]). That, and when you are coughing up blood and the like. You know, small things like that.

Not to mention free clinics.

1) 40 some odd million don't have any form of insurance.
2) I've never seen a free clinic in all my life. Maybe it's a city thing.
3) Wouldn't coughing up blood be a sign of something that's been seriously wrong for a while?

3) Wouldn't coughing up blood be a sign of something that's been seriously wrong for a while?

But not necessarily noticable before that point

If you can't handle a little disease, you should die.

I mean .. come on ... we live in a world where TB is just a slightly stronger cold.

Get an antibiotic and move on with life. Yeesh. Don't be such babies. :P

Unless, of course, we're talking about a strain of TB that is drug-resistant....like we are in this case.

Without drug treatment that kills off the bacteria, TB is an eventual death sentence. Your immune system may manage to "quarantine" it, but does not kill it. When the immune system is later compromised, the TB infection returns.

Keru, don't make me cry.

Sorry ... I was channeling George Carlin.

Self-amusement is all. :)

I'm reminded of Carlin's rant on "You're all diseased" about his childhood and modern methods of disease prevention.

YAY! Someone got it! :D

Sorry ... I was channeling George Carlin.

I know. That's what was making me cry.

Self-amusement is all. :)

You are not here to please yourself, you tart!

1) 40 some odd million don't have any form of insurance.
Just incase you missed it, I'll quote myself: [yes, I know, not everyone has medical insurance. Except for MA, where it is now illegal to be a citizen of the state without it]So, I understand that it is an issue. I also understand that some states have made moves to rectify the issue, as well as many employers. There is also medicade/medicare. Children are offered free insurance through schools in most states. And then there is that free clinic thing
2) I've never seen a free clinic in all my life. Maybe it's a city thing.probably. I know of two or three in my general area. You can also usually go to a university health services and be seen for cheap.
3) Wouldn't coughing up blood be a sign of something that's been seriously wrong for a while?Yes, but it is also one of the earliest easily identifiable symptoms that point to something very serious. It was also half sarcastic. I'm not saying you should go to the doctor because you have a cold or allergies or a sore throat. I'm saying you should use some common sense and go when you think you need it (high fever, blood coming from places it shouldn't be, severe pain, blindness, coma, anal leakage, death...)

I know. That's what was making me cry.

He's an amusing little clown and you know it! :p

You are not here to please yourself, you tart!

Forum masturbation is my greatest hobby!

FIRSTLY!!! This media scare has got to stop. Stop buying into fear mongering and THINK!

It's driving me crazy how ignorant people are being about this.

While yes he should be held accountable, his type is not the "Walk by him and get it". His wife was with him the WHOLE time and she's not infected.

Could he have infected someone? Perhaps. Could he have infected thousands?
I really Doubt it.