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Source: http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_arrest06.20e6f49.html
San Bernardino County man with tuberculosis taken into medical custody
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, September 5, 2008
By LORA HINES
The Press-Enterprise
A Needles man diagnosed with an active tuberculosis case was escorted to the hospital Thursday night after repeatedly refusing to isolate himself, San Bernardino County health officials said.
Health officials say they believe the man is the first to be taken into medical custody in San Bernardino County, Lindley said.
The man, who may be in his 40s, is being treated in a special unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he was taken by ambulance after surrendering to Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, the county health officer, around 10 p.m. Thursday.
James Lindley, the county public health director, would not identify the man. Officials suspect the man became infected within the past year after taking an overseas trip, said Lindley, who would not elaborate.
Dozens of people who had contact with the man have been tested for the potentially deadly disease, which typically attacks the lungs. So far, one person has tested positive for the latent, non-contagious form of the disease, Lindley said. A chest X-ray and blood test will determine whether the person has an active and contagious case, he said.
It's unclear how many people could have been exposed and require testing, Lindley said.
"We're trying to determine that now," he said, adding that officials are contacting people who may have had contact with the man.
The man hasn't explained why he defied orders to isolate and medicate himself, Lindley said.
On Aug. 7, the Clark County, Nev., Department of Public Health notified San Bernardino County officials that a San Bernardino County resident had been diagnosed and treated for active tuberculosis at a Las Vegas hospital, Lindley said. The man was sent to Las Vegas for treatment after seeking care at two other health care facilities, where medical staff thought the man had pneumonia, Lindley said.
San Bernardino County health officials began searching for the Needles man to ensure he was taking proper medicine and isolating himself, Lindley said.
Public health officials on Aug. 13 found the man and determined a Needles doctor was treating him, Lindley said.
"We really didn't have to continue follow-up," Lindley said, since the man had a doctor.
However, Terri Serna, the public health nurse and caseworker assigned to monitor the man, doubted that the man was following medical orders, Lindley said. Last week, she discovered that the man was going to work and risking tuberculosis exposure to his colleagues, Lindley said.
Colleagues called health officials to report that the man went to work Thursday, before he was taken into medical custody, Lindley said.
The man also would not take medicine in front of public health employees to demonstrate he was properly caring for himself, Lindley said.
On Aug. 28, the county served the man with an isolation order. Health officials determined Tuesday that the man was defying the order, Lindley said.
On Thursday, health officials got a court order to detain the man, Lindley said. Ohikhuare then flew to the man's home on a county sheriff's department helicopter and served the order on the man, who complied without putting up a fight, Lindley said.
San Bernardino County health officials are monitoring 93 active tuberculosis cases. Last year, Riverside County reported 80 active cases. So far, 45 have been reported this year, said Barbara Cole, disease control director at Riverside County's Department of Public Health.
Cole said patients rarely are forcibly detained because they refuse to isolate themselves. It's been about 10 years since Riverside County has had to do so, she said.
"We try all other strategies first," Cole said. "We try the least restrictive means necessary."
Reach Lora Hines at 951-368-9444 or lhines@PE.com
San Bernardino County man with tuberculosis taken into medical custody
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, September 5, 2008
By LORA HINES
The Press-Enterprise
A Needles man diagnosed with an active tuberculosis case was escorted to the hospital Thursday night after repeatedly refusing to isolate himself, San Bernardino County health officials said.
Health officials say they believe the man is the first to be taken into medical custody in San Bernardino County, Lindley said.
The man, who may be in his 40s, is being treated in a special unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he was taken by ambulance after surrendering to Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, the county health officer, around 10 p.m. Thursday.
James Lindley, the county public health director, would not identify the man. Officials suspect the man became infected within the past year after taking an overseas trip, said Lindley, who would not elaborate.
Dozens of people who had contact with the man have been tested for the potentially deadly disease, which typically attacks the lungs. So far, one person has tested positive for the latent, non-contagious form of the disease, Lindley said. A chest X-ray and blood test will determine whether the person has an active and contagious case, he said.
It's unclear how many people could have been exposed and require testing, Lindley said.
"We're trying to determine that now," he said, adding that officials are contacting people who may have had contact with the man.
The man hasn't explained why he defied orders to isolate and medicate himself, Lindley said.
On Aug. 7, the Clark County, Nev., Department of Public Health notified San Bernardino County officials that a San Bernardino County resident had been diagnosed and treated for active tuberculosis at a Las Vegas hospital, Lindley said. The man was sent to Las Vegas for treatment after seeking care at two other health care facilities, where medical staff thought the man had pneumonia, Lindley said.
San Bernardino County health officials began searching for the Needles man to ensure he was taking proper medicine and isolating himself, Lindley said.
Public health officials on Aug. 13 found the man and determined a Needles doctor was treating him, Lindley said.
"We really didn't have to continue follow-up," Lindley said, since the man had a doctor.
However, Terri Serna, the public health nurse and caseworker assigned to monitor the man, doubted that the man was following medical orders, Lindley said. Last week, she discovered that the man was going to work and risking tuberculosis exposure to his colleagues, Lindley said.
Colleagues called health officials to report that the man went to work Thursday, before he was taken into medical custody, Lindley said.
The man also would not take medicine in front of public health employees to demonstrate he was properly caring for himself, Lindley said.
On Aug. 28, the county served the man with an isolation order. Health officials determined Tuesday that the man was defying the order, Lindley said.
On Thursday, health officials got a court order to detain the man, Lindley said. Ohikhuare then flew to the man's home on a county sheriff's department helicopter and served the order on the man, who complied without putting up a fight, Lindley said.
San Bernardino County health officials are monitoring 93 active tuberculosis cases. Last year, Riverside County reported 80 active cases. So far, 45 have been reported this year, said Barbara Cole, disease control director at Riverside County's Department of Public Health.
Cole said patients rarely are forcibly detained because they refuse to isolate themselves. It's been about 10 years since Riverside County has had to do so, she said.
"We try all other strategies first," Cole said. "We try the least restrictive means necessary."
Reach Lora Hines at 951-368-9444 or lhines@PE.com