FRIDAY DEC 28, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- A 30-year-old Sunnyvale woman has been isolated since Dec 19 at Stanford Hospital for a multi-drug resistant strain of tuberculosis, media reported.  Her condition is stable.

The woman, whose name was not released, was diagnosed with the disease and treated in India during her visit to the country.  She flew back home Dec 13 so sick that she went to the emergency room at Stanford on Dec 19 for urgent medical attention.

Tuberculosis is a reportable disease, meaning that hospitals are obliged to report the cases to health authorities.  To prevent the disease from spreading, health officials completed a nationwide search for those who sit near the woman during the same international flight.

Health officials have identified 44 people from 16 states who sit within two rows of the woman on American Airlines Flight 293 from New Delhi to Chicago's O'Hare airport.

TB transmission is considered possible among those who ride in an airplane for more than eight hours.  But a short range flight between Chicago and San Francisco International Airport may not pose any risk to passengers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which worked along with Santa Clara County's Public Health Department in the investigation has notified 16 states of the passengers who flew in the same airplane as the TB patient. The health agency asked state health officials to have a test performed on these passengers.

Multi-drug resistant TB may need two weeks of hospitalization.  This type of TB resists common antibiotics, but some antibiotics still may be more or less effective in treating the disease.  It is often that antibiotics treatment may last nine months to 24 months.

Tuberculosis is rare and multi-drug resistant type is even rarer. In the United States 13,779 TB cases were reported in 2006, a 3.1 percent decline in the rate from 2005.

For more information on multidrug resistant TB, read the following which is cited in verbatim from the CDC.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB)

What is tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. In most cases, TB is treatable; however, persons with TB can die if they do not get proper treatment.

What is multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB)?

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) is TB that is resistant to at least two of the best anti-TB drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. These drugs are considered first-line drugs and are used to treat all persons with TB disease.

What is extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)?

Extensively drug resistant TB (XDR TB) is a relatively rare type of MDR TB. XDR TB is defined as TB which is resistant to isoniazid and rifampin, plus resistant to any fluoroquinolone and at least one of three injectable second-line drugs (i.e., amikacin, kanamycin, or capreomycin).

Because XDR TB is resistant to first-line and secondline drugs, patients are left with treatment options that are much less effective.

XDR TB is of special concern for persons with HIV infection or other conditions that can weaken the immune system. These persons are more likely to develop TB disease once they are infected, and also have a higher risk of death once they develop TB.

How is TB spread?

Drug-susceptible TB and MDR TB are spread the same way. 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.

TB is not spread by

shaking someone’s hand
sharing food or drink
touching bed linens or toilet seats
sharing toothbrushes
kissing
smoking or sharing cigarettes

How does drug resistance happen?

Resistance to anti-TB drugs can occur when these drugs are misused or mismanaged. Examples include when patients do not complete their full course of treatment; when health-care providers prescribe the wrong treatment, the wrong dose, or length of time for taking the drugs; when the supply of drugs is not always available; or when the drugs are of poor quality.

Who is at risk for getting MDR TB?

Drug resistance is more common in people who:

do not take their TB medicine regularly
do not take all of their TB medicine as told by their doctor or nurse
develop active TB disease again, after having taken TB medicine in the past
come from areas of the world where drug-resistant TB is common
have spent time with someone known to have drug-resistant TB disease

How can MDR TB be prevented?

The most important thing a person can do to prevent the spread of MDR TB is to take all of their medications exactly as prescribed by their health care provider. No doses should be missed and treatment should not be stopped early. Patients should tell their health care provider if they are having trouble taking the medications. If patients plan to travel, they should talk to their health care providers and make sure they have enough medicine to last while away.

Health care providers can help prevent MDR TB by quickly diagnosing cases, following recommended treatment guidelines, monitoring patients’ response to treatment, and making sure therapy is completed.

Another way to prevent getting MDR TB is to avoid exposure to known MDR TB patients in closed or crowded places such as hospitals, prisons, or homeless shelters. If you work in hospitals or health-care settings where TB patients are likely to be seen, you should consult infection control or occupational health experts. Ask about administrative and environmental procedures for preventing exposure to TB. Once those procedures are implemented, additional measures could include using personal respiratory protective devices.

Is there a vaccine to prevent TB?

There is a vaccine for TB disease called Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). It is used in some countries to prevent severe forms of TB in children. However, BCG is not generally recommended in the United States because it has limited effectiveness for preventing TB overall.

What should I do if I think I have been exposed to someone with TB disease?

If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, you should contact your doctor or local health department about getting a TB skin test or the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test (QFT-G), a blood test. And tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with this person.

What are the symptoms of TB disease?

The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs may also include coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected. If you have these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or local health department.