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View Full Version : regarding the TB guy...you think his new father-in-law did him in


Hatfield
6/1/2007, 09:27 AM
since TB is what he works with at the CDC?

seems he may have had other ideas for his daughter's husband.
OklahomaRed
6/1/2007, 09:35 AM
They said he traveled a lot, but that just seems to be a really odd "coincidence". Stranger things have happened on CSI! :D
OklahomaRed
6/1/2007, 09:36 AM
Even stranger, my avatar is Doc Holiday, who had TB ! :eek:
Hatfield
6/1/2007, 09:41 AM
and even stranger is how kilmer didn't win best supporting actor for that role
proud gonzo
6/1/2007, 10:57 AM
since TB is what he works with at the CDC?

seems he may have had other ideas for his daughter's husband.I thought the same thing.
PhilTLL
6/1/2007, 02:10 PM
Absent any proof...well, aside from the father-in-law's shaky, slightly panicked statement to the press begging them not to make a big deal out of this...I wouldn't be inclined to conspiracy-theorize, but it doesn't seem like you'd acquire XDRTB on your daily jaunt to the Starbucks, either.
SoonerAcesUp
6/1/2007, 02:15 PM
My wife said they thought he contracted it while doing charity work in Korea. Anybody heard that? But the thought of the FIL certainly did cross my mind as well. That is one BIG coincidence!
Ike
6/1/2007, 02:19 PM
I was thinking the same thing. It would be difficult to prove that I would think though.
RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!
6/1/2007, 02:27 PM
One report I heard was that the wife of the afflicted is not showing any symptoms, and may not even test positive for TB...Coincidence?
TexasLidig8r
6/1/2007, 02:59 PM
One report I heard was that the wife of the afflicted is not showing any symptoms, and may not even test positive for TB...Coincidence?

And yes... wife is hawt.
Suerreal
6/1/2007, 03:08 PM
I was thinking the same thing. It would be difficult to prove that I would think though.
Proving it did not come from the FILs CDC lab would be very easy. Genetic testing of the isolate from Speaker could be compared to genetic profiles of the strains in Speaker's lab. Assuming that all of the strains in the lab were accounted for and there were no "secret" undocumented strains.

Proving it could have come from a particular lab or other source would likewise be easy; proving it did come from a particular source would be nearly impossible unless it carried some sort of genetic watermark.

- Sue
BlondeSoonerGirl
6/1/2007, 03:11 PM
pg - this dude flew from Atlanta to Greece recently. You checked to see if you were on any of his icky infected flights?
Ike
6/1/2007, 03:14 PM
pg - this dude flew from Atlanta to Greece recently. You checked to see if you were on any of his icky infected flights?

If she was, she has probably already been contacted by two men in black suits and masks.
bri
6/1/2007, 03:16 PM
If she was, she has probably already been contacted by two men in black suits and masks.

Or as she calls it, "Tuesday".
Suerreal
6/1/2007, 03:34 PM
One report I heard was that the wife of the afflicted is not showing any symptoms, and may not even test positive for TB...Coincidence?
TB is moderately infectious.

Person A breathes in a few TB organisms. They set up residence in the lungs, and start multiplying. Eventually, they grow to sufficient numbers that the immune system notices them. One of several things can happen:
1 - The immune system kills off all the organisms. Person A has ZERO chance of active TB from this infection. He cannot spread any infection. He does have a positive skin test.
2 - The immune system walls off the infection, and a truce is called (a la North/South Korea). He has a chance of active TB later (see 3). He is quite unlikely to spread the infection at this point. He does have a positive TB skin test.
3 - If the immune system is weakened later (e.g. pregnancy, HIV infection, chemotherapy, steroid treatment for something else) the infection can reactivate, and Person A develops active TB. They are infectious to others, as with each breath, some TB organisms may be exhaled, and infect someone who breathes them in. If the infection is severe enough to cause coughing, the person is very infectious, and people who spend time close to him are at moderate risk of becoming infected. About 50-75% of househopld contacts (people living in the same home) will become infected (have a positive skin test). Person A would usually have a positive skin test at this point.
4 - If the person's immune system is very weak, or the infection is very bad, the immune will system will not react to the TB skin test, and that will be negative, although the person is infected and very infectious to others.

To summarize:
Not all inhaled organisms establish a primary infections.
Not all primary infections progress to active disease (most don't)
Not all people with active disease (defined as having detectable organisms is coughed up sputum sampled) are symptomatic. Coughing greatly increases the probability that others can become infected.

It sounds as if Speaker was in scenario #3, but with a low grade infection, so that he was not coughing. This would make him mildly infectious. It is not surprising that his wife has (so far) tested negative; she may never have been infected, or may not have had enough time to develop an immune response that would show up on a skin test. It does sound as if the time frame would be right for Speaker to develop reactivation of a TB infection acquired in Vietnam.

- Sue
TheUnnamedSooner
6/1/2007, 04:05 PM
and even stranger is how kilmer didn't win best supporting actor for that role

And even more stranger is batman.
olevetonahill
6/1/2007, 04:40 PM
When My son came home from Iraq after a year there , He had TB , had to take meds for 6 months , Get tested monthly or some crap at the VA or the health department
The young idjit still has not filled a Comp claim for any of his shat :mad:
The boy could get 30 % easy
Suerreal
6/1/2007, 04:58 PM
When My son came home from Iraq after a year there , He had TB , had to take meds for 6 months , Get tested monthly or some crap at the VA or the health department
The young idjit still has not filled a Comp claim for any of his shat :mad:
The boy could get 30 % easy

I seriously doubt it. Based on the information presented, he most likely had a positive skin test, but no evidence of active disease. Strangely, treatment for active TB is typically shorter (but involves taking 3-5 drugs) than treatment for latent or inactive TB (Positive skin test).

The monthly blood tests were a) to make sure the antibiotic, usually isoniazid, did not hurt the liver, and b) to make sure he was still taking the isoniazid and completed the 6 months of treatment.

There is virtually no risk of any longterm consequences from either the latent TB infection or the course of treatment, and hence no disability arising from this.
BU BEAR
6/1/2007, 05:30 PM
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/57.jpg
Jerk
6/1/2007, 05:35 PM
I don't blame him for wanting to come back to the U.S.

Is that pic for real? Looks like a scene in All My Children.
BajaOklahoma
6/1/2007, 05:39 PM
I love the new info that says they weren't married in Italy. The doofus didn't provide the needed paperwork, in fact he didn't even contact them to see what was needed before they left for Italy.

I call BS on his "story." He knows he made poor choices and doesn't want to get sued.
Hatfield
6/1/2007, 06:06 PM
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/57.jpg


have you seen the pic without the mask??

let's just say she should stick to the i dream of genie look.
proud gonzo
6/1/2007, 06:37 PM
pg - this dude flew from Atlanta to Greece recently. You checked to see if you were on any of his icky infected flights?nah, i don't think the dates were even right
proud gonzo
6/1/2007, 06:37 PM
I love the new info that says they weren't married in Italy. The doofus didn't provide the needed paperwork, in fact he didn't even contact them to see what was needed before they left for Italy.

I call BS on his "story." He knows he made poor choices and doesn't want to get sued....i think they said they weren't married in GREECE as they planned.
Okla-homey
6/1/2007, 06:40 PM
Okay, here's my opinion on this.

When I was in Asscrackistan, I laid between to Afghan fighters (who fought for the Jabba who was helping us) for about 36 hours in a field hospital tent at Kandahar while I was sick. These guys were shot-up, sick, malnourished and had TB (per the nurse who was on the ward.) They were on cots on each side of me.

I figure, if I didn't get TB from those guys, it ain't THAT contagious. Especially since they were coughing, spewing and crapping themselves constantly -- all within two feet of my face.

Therefore, maybe people need to just chill on this.
Jerk
6/1/2007, 06:41 PM
have you seen the pic without the mask??

let's just say she should stick to the i dream of genie look.
Dude, with the pointers she's sporting, I could live with the mask. If what's under the mask is bad, then I'd say "I have TB" and she could put the thing back on. It'd still be a ok with me. But I doubt this would be a problem, judging from what's showing.

eta - wait, are you saying you've seen a pic of her without the mask?
Still, It don't matter. I can always focus my attention elsewhere.
VeeJay
6/1/2007, 07:45 PM
Those are some righteous looking jugs.
BajaOklahoma
6/1/2007, 08:11 PM
Okay- they were supposed to be married in Greece.


Here's one of the lead stories in Dallas.
Seven students at an Arlington high school tested positive for tuberculosis on Thursday.
The students were reportedly exposed to the disease by a student at Bowie High School. Tarrant County Health Department officials said the students will undergo antibiotic treatment for nine months and have a 1 percent chance of actually coming down with the disease.
So far, 175 students have been screened and some parents said they are concerned about how the issue is being handled.
“I would like the school to test every single one of the kids,” mother Whitney Engel said.
Engel’s son Chris attends the school and wants to be tested just to be safe.
“If I do have it, I want to know,” he said. “That way I’m not spreading it.”
Engel said Health Department officials refused to test her son because they said he had no direct contact with the student in question. The officials said they will test any student whose parents insist, but that it’s not necessary unless there was direct contact.
“If you were in a different class, weren’t in the same room, never had exposure to that student then you don’t need to be tested,” Health Department’s Dr. Elvin Adams said.
Adams also said this strain of tuberculosis is not as severe as the drug-resistant strain that people might have seen on television.
“The TB in this high school is entirely different than the extreme TB that’s been in the news so much,” he said.
Adams said he expects the student diagnosed with tuberculosis to make a full recovery.


And knowing how many diseases are contagious before the patient shows any sign of illness, I would be concerned a bit.
Wash your hands and keep them away from your face.
olevetonahill
6/1/2007, 10:35 PM
I seriously doubt it. Based on the information presented, he most likely had a positive skin test, but no evidence of active disease. Strangely, treatment for active TB is typically shorter (but involves taking 3-5 drugs) than treatment for latent or inactive TB (Positive skin test).

The monthly blood tests were a) to make sure the antibiotic, usually isoniazid, did not hurt the liver, and b) to make sure he was still taking the isoniazid and completed the 6 months of treatment.

There is virtually no risk of any longterm consequences from either the latent TB infection or the course of treatment, and hence no disability arising from this.
He was diagnosed with active TB , ( Non contagious ) But still had to do the 6 month regimen of drugs !
The 30 % that I was talking about InCludes ALL of His Injuries !
Suerreal
6/2/2007, 12:00 AM
He was diagnosed with active TB , ( Non contagious ) But still had to do the 6 month regimen of drugs !
The 30 % that I was talking about InCludes ALL of His Injuries !

Sorry for the misunderstanding, then.
jthomasou78
6/2/2007, 06:42 AM
My wife is a professor and this summer she has taken a group of students to Italy for a 3 week class. Anyways, one of her students sat two rows in front of Speaker on the plane. the students mother called me yesterday frantically wanting to know if I had a number for them in Italy.

Apparently, the CDC is looking for her. This is not a normal strain of TB, this is a really really bad strain of TB which there is no antibiotics for. The CDC told her that her skin test would not be accurate for 8 weeks, and that she wouldnt show symptoms for 10 weeks. She is only contagious when she is showing symptoms. Whenever she come back to the states next week she has to meet with the people at the CDC about tests and what not.

This sounds really kinda scary.