Control of Infectious Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Inbound Passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Abstract

World Health Organization has announced tuberculosis as an international public health emergency since April 1993. The reason is a difficulty to control a novel pandemic of multidrug resistance tuberculosis and also extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. The best tuberculosis control method is treatment of TB patient. Therefore, control of infectious tuberculosis case on aircraft and international airport are crucial. This case report has documented a 40 years inbound passenger with infectious pulmonary tuberculosis. She was diagnosed and assessed as infectious pulmonary tuberculosis patient because (1) direct smear found acid fast bacilli for 2 times, (2) chest X-ray showed pulmonary tuberculosis, (3) flight time was more than 13 hours and (4) the doctor diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis only a day after arrival. The process of containment, contact tracing, limitation of investigation and recommendations for prevention of airborne transmission are reported for further improvement to achieve International Health Regulations, 2005 core capacity.