MMWR: Exposure of Passengers and Flight Crew to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis on Commercial Aircraft, 1992-1995.

Abstract

This report summarizes CDC and State health departments investigations and provides guidance about notification of passengers and flight crew after exposure to TB during travel on commercial aircrafts. From January 1993 through February 1995, CDC and State health departments completed an investigation of six instances in which passengers or flight crew traveled on commercial aircraft while infectious with TB. All six of these investigations involved symptomatic TB patients with acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear-positive cavitary pulmonary TB, who were highly infectious at the time of the flight. In two instances, Mycobacterium TB isolated from the index patients was resistant to both isoniazid and rifampin; organisms isolated from other cases were susceptible to all antituberculosis medications. In two instances, the index patients were aware of their TB at the time of travel and were in transit to the United States to obtain medical care. In none of the six instances were the airlines aware of the passengers’ conditions.