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Trek · 05-31-2007, 02:09 PM

The plot thickens:

TB patient's relative works on TB research

"The man infected with potentially fatal tuberculosis is a lawyer from Atlanta, Georgia, whose father-in-law works at the Centers for Disease Control. Andrew Speaker, 31, is now receiving treatment in Denver, Colorado, as health officials track down people he may have infected. His father-in-law, Robert C. Cooksey, is a microbiologist who has conducted research on tuberculosis for CDC, according to a biography posted on the agency's Web site."

Moemg · 05-31-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achiever51

:
1. What do you think are the chances that these passengers might be tagged as having a pre-existing condition later should they apply for health insurance? and
2. Could the other passengers file suit against Mr. Speaker and/or his insurance provider to cover their expenses?

.

Any passengers that have positive Tb tests will have to undergo treatment and have regular chest x-rays for the rest of their lives .If I was one of the passengers I'd sue because he knowingly put a lot of people at risk for a severe disease .Had it been someone not so educated I would consider it just my bad luck but he's a personal injury lawyer with plenty of knowledge available from his father -in -law about the risk of TB .I also think his father -in -law should lose his job for his part in this fiasco

SamHouston · 05-31-2007, 03:09 PM

This story gets more disgusting every time that any details are added. He should pay the maximum criminal and/or civil penalties that apply to this kind of thing. I hope that some district attorney, whoever has the jurisdiction rights, prosecutes him until he pays for this. Federal charges would apply, I assume.

tangomonster · 05-31-2007, 04:05 PM

How ironic is it that this clown is a PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER! His website is currently unavailable, but I found some cached stuff from his firm, like that he deals with car accidents, product liability, wrongful death. maybe he should add a new specialty for victims are suffering emotional distress and possible medical issues from needlessly being exposed to TB in an airplane!

megacorp-firee · 05-31-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangomonster

How ironic is it that this clown is a PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER! His website is currently unavailable, but I found some cached stuff from his firm, like that he deals with car accidents, product liability, wrongful death. maybe he should add a new specialty for victims are suffering emotional distress and possible medical issues from needlessly being exposed to TB in an airplane!

Find out what firm he's with. Real 'good' :confused: decision making abilities on this one....
IOW wouldn't use this guy or this firm

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-31-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

The whole thing was a racket. No net change, so we tabled it.

Allllllriiiiiight...enough of this little back and forth, back and forth...

Rich_by_the_Bay · 05-31-2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny

Allllllriiiiiight...enough of this little back and forth, back and forth...

That's just your backhanded way of spinning it to prove your point.

Brat · 05-31-2007, 06:49 PM

Were I the head of the CDC I would be drilling down on the conditions in the lab where father-in-law works. That was likely the source of the bug. At this time the lawyer, his bride and his bride's family should be in isolation until it can be determined that only one is infected.

And, yes, this guy's law practice is likely toast. Not because he is infected but because of his reckless behavior.

I can understand that while all this was happening he couldn't be legally restrained, but, once it was evident that he intended to fly going to the media to prevent him from boarding was justified. Can you imagine any court awarding him damages because reckless behavior was thwarted? What a bunch of spineless wimps!!

Years ago I worked in NYC. Once in a while a peer would be cornered before he could do something stupid. The object would protest, "You can't do that!" The response would be, "So sue me!!"

Martha · 05-31-2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

I can understand that while all this was happening he couldn't be legally restrained,

My bet is that once it was determined he had drug resistant TB the CDC and likely state authorities had the right to quarantine him.

Brat · 05-31-2007, 07:21 PM

Based on what I have read he was diagnosed with TB before leaving with the recommendation that he not travel. It was only after he left that the lab results came back that ID'd the type.

Given the fact that the FIL worked with the resistant TB it seems to me that there should have been a presumption that he contracted the resistant type until proven otherwise.

The bride and the FIL may have received the BCG vaccine and were not at risk. As other have mention the bug may have escaped on FIL's clothing and infected the groom.

Hard to know if those exposed to the groom would benefit from the BCG vaccine at this point. We don't use it in the US, I suspect, because our TB rate is so low and there are always risks to vaccines. But, with the advent of this drug resistant variety maybe that policy should be reconsidered.

Pregnant women have suppressed immune systems. They are very vulnerable and the vaccine is not recommended.

SamHouston · 05-31-2007, 07:33 PM

Here's another look at the guy, this time with his new wife, who seems to have more sense than him since she is at least covering her face.

Rich_by_the_Bay · 05-31-2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

Given the fact that the FIL worked with the resistant TB it seems to me that there should have been a presumption that he contracted the resistant type until proven otherwise.

Probably not likely with the FIL having repeatedly negative skin tests and chest x-rays, if he is to be believed. Believe it or not, TB is actually pretty hard to transmit except under the "right" conditions -- droplet exposure from someone with active disease, couging up bugs. On the other hand, FIL's line of work is pretty coincidental, healthy young people who have not visited affected areas internationally don't often get this, so we may not have heard the last of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

As other have mention the bug may have escaped on FIL's clothing and infected the groom.

Possible but it is not likely for it to spread that way; almost always droplet-born.

Quote:

Hard to know if those exposed to the groom would benefit from the BCG vaccine at this point. We don't use it in the US, I suspect, because our TB rate is so low and there are always risks to vaccines. But, with the advent of this drug resistant variety maybe that policy should be reconsidered.

Takes a couple months to develop immunity after BCG, so too late for the current exposures. Plus, BCG can make you have a positive skin test for a few years, so you'd lose that method of surveillance. Complicated.

Ironically, one of the few groups in the US who are advised to take BCG is scientists who come in to contact with extensively resistant strains.

I bet that there are already 200 novels, 500 screen plays, and a tell-all or two already underway over this one. Not to mention a few juicy lawsuits, especially regarding the blatant defiance over sneaking in through Canada. Ugh.

megacorp-firee · 05-31-2007, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

I bet that there are already 200 novels, 500 screen plays, and a tell-all or two already underway over this one. Ugh.

Are you kidding? This guy will now run for the Senate ... probably NY...

Brat · 05-31-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Probably not likely with the FIL having repeatedly negative skin tests and chest x-rays, if he is to be believed. Believe it or not, TB is actually pretty hard to transmit except under the "right" conditions -- droplet exposure from someone with active disease, coughing up bugs. On the other hand, FIL's line of work is pretty coincidental, healthy young people who have not visited affected areas internationally don't often get this, so we may not have heard the last of it.

Possible but it is not likely for it to spread that way; almost always droplet-born.

Takes a couple months to develop immunity after BCG, so too late for the current exposures. Plus, BCG can make you have a positive skin test for a few years, so you'd lose that method of surveillance. Complicated.

Ironically, one of the few groups in the US who are advised to take BCG is scientists who come in to contact with extensively resistant strains.

... Not to mention a few juicy lawsuits, especially regarding the blatant defiance over sneaking in through Canada. Ugh.

One of the most effective transmitters of TB is an elevator. Ride along with an active case who is coughing...

In the 70s we had Japanese foreign students. They had all received BCG.

This case and FIL's occupation is just tooo coincidental. However, because Atlanta is the home of the CDC, and probably the lab, it could be that there is a broader problem. My DH was an architect for just such a lab and is familiar with the protocols involved. If just one person in the lab gets too comfortable (aka, sloppy) in that environment very bad things can happen.

There are both individual and systemic issues here.

haha · 05-31-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

There are both individual and systemic issues here.

Excellent point. I have been busy thinking what a rat this guy is (he is!); but also we need to know where it came from, and what led to this happening.

I suppose all you need is an infected busboy in restaurant. TB is kind of a lottery. In the old days many were infected as children. Most walled it off and had no further problems. Some got sick; and some broke down and got sick in young adulhood.

Ha

Bram · 05-31-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

since she is at least covering her face

I think that's just a disguise & her wish to not be recognized. That mask doesn't look too affective.

SamHouston · 05-31-2007, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bram

I think that's just a disguise & her wish to not be recognized. That mask doesn't look too affective.

Good point.

lets-retire · 06-01-2007, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

If just one person in the lab gets too comfortable (aka, sloppy) in that environment very bad things can happen.

I don't know if my experience is telling, but it seems people who are in contact or potential contact with the especially nasty diseases are very careful, almost to the point of paranoia. As Rich said the disease is droplet borne, which makes it rather difficult to catch. I had a contractor, who disappeared one day. A couple weeks later we received a letter from the country health Dept saying he had to stay home, because he was diagnosed with TB.

Quote:

That mask doesn't look too affective.

The disease is in the droplets of saliva and such so the mask is very effective, unless the person with the disease is coughing under the mask from below.