TB Patient, Family Ties Revealed

Atlanta lawyer's father-in-law is a CDC researcher
By Marie Morris,  Newser Staff
Posted May 31, 2007 4:04 PM CDT
TB Patient, Family Ties Revealed
William Allstetter, a spokesman for National Jewish Medical and Research Center, points to the hospital as he describes the treatment that a Georgia patient with drug-resistant tuberculosis will receive in Denver during a news conference at the hospital on Thursday, May 31, 2007. The patient under...   (Associated Press)

The quarantined tuberculosis patient is an Atlanta lawyer who recently married the daughter of a CDC TB researcher, CNN reports. Andrew Speaker, 31, took a private plane to Denver today to be treated for extremely drug-resistant TB, or XDR TB. Microbiologist Robert Cooksey says he knew of his son-in-law's infection and offered "fatherly advice" but no official counsel.

A spokesman for the Denver hospital where Speaker will undergo treatment said he arrived wearing a mask and escorted by US marshals. Meanwhile, the CDC is tracking down passengers who shared a plane with Speaker after he ignored advice and flew to and from Europe for his wedding and honeymoon this month despite knowing that he was infected. (More Tuberculosis stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X