title: Tuberculosis on the flight deck.
abstract: Tuberculosis in commercial aircraft has been a concern since a 1995 incident of possible transmission from an active case of tuberculosis to passengers in the cabin of a 747. Subsequently, commercial air carriers have been vigilant in cooperating with public health authorities in tracking all known exposures to tuberculosis. In 1998, a pilot of a commercial airliner was diagnosed with active tuberculosis. Company records demonstrated that in the previous 6 mo, the pilot had flown with 48 other pilots. Every exposed pilot was contacted and evaluated by skin testing (IPPD) or chest x-ray if previously positive. There were no skin test conversions and no changes on x-rays. This study demonstrates that transmission of tuberculosis in the aircraft cabin environment, even under close and continuous exposure to an active case, is a rare event.
authors.affiliation: Trans World Airlines, Kansas City, MO 64153, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Parmet
mesh_terms: D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000389:Air Conditioning; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014373:Tuberculin; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D014373:Tuberculin