Published online Feb 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i3.546
Peer-review started: November 12, 2019
First decision: December 23, 2019
Revised: January 9, 2020
Accepted: January 15, 2020
Article in press: January 15, 2020
Published online: February 6, 2020
Processing time: 85 Days and 20.6 Hours
Several studies have demonstrated that airborne transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) to other passengers or crew members can occur during long flights. As such, non-infectious TB patients are usually allowed to undertake air travel after taking the appropriate anti-TB drugs. However, the global guidelines for air travel for patients with TB are inconsistent and insufficiently detailed with respect to cavitary pulmonary TB (CPTB).
Here, we report a case in which a patient with multiple CPTB was permitted air travel, following negative sputum acid-fast bacilli smear tests after administration of proper anti-TB medication. The patient’s culture results were pending.
This case revealed that more specific guidelines regulating air travel for patients with CPTB are necessary.
Core tip: Patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (CPTB) could have an active infection for longer periods than non-CPTB patients. Air travel may be inevitable for these patients, but the paucity of consistent guidelines regulating the protocol for permitting air travel for such patients renders decision making difficult. Based on this case, we think that if air travel is unavoidable for patients with CPTB who are still considered potentially infectious, it might be possible to board the flight if proper anti-TB medication is administered, confirmatory acid-fast bacilli smear tests are negative, and a suitable N95 mask is worn under observation.