Control of Infectious Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Inbound Passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport - การควบคุมการแพร่กระจายเชื้อวัณโรคจาก ผู้ป่วยขาเข้าระหว่างประเทศที่ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ

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.
Key words: tuberculosis, Suvarnarbhumi airport, surveillance and rapid response team (SRRT)