Teen With TB Agrees to Take Medicine

Public health officials have already screened eight people and are looking for others who were exposed to a recently diagnosed tuberculosis patient.

Francisco Santos, 17, refused treatment after being diagnosed at Gwinnett Medical Center Friday night. The teen was then put into isolation at the Gwinnett County jail, where he is now being treated.

Santos told Gwinnett Medical Center personnel that he would not accept treatment for his highly contagious tuberculosis and wanted to return to Mexico.

"The Board of Health attorney was notified and court proceedings were initiated to isolate and confine the patient pending hearing," said Dr. Lloyd Hofer, CEO of Gwinnett Board of Health.

The patient was transferred to the jail Friday night. He is technically not under arrest but under an isolation protocol. He is being housed in a special jail cell specifically designed for inmates with highly contagious medical conditions and he is being carefully guarded as well.

Infectious disease expert Robin Dretler said that people with dangerous diseases have responsibilities to more than just themselves.

"There's a social contract that we all have with other people to not spread diseases without other people taking a risk and someone who chooses with active disease to go out and spread it is breaking that social contract, just as if you have HIV," said Dr. Dretler of DeKalb Medical Center.

Health officials have tested eight members of the Santos' family to see if they've contracted the disease and are looking for others who may have been exposed.

Santos is now accepting his treatment.

"From talking to the doctors that are caring for him, they say he is cooperating and taking his medicines well. He's not had any side effects from them or any nausea or anything. These are oral medicines that he takes," Dr. Hofer said.

Santos' prognosis is good though lengthy. It can take six months to a year to complete treatment. He will have a court hearing on September 5 to determine whether he can continue his treatment outside the jail.

The county has sought court-ordered "isolation protocol" to ensure treatment of a highly contagious disease, once before -- about 10 years ago. But tuberculosis cases, and the ensuing testing, are not rare in Georgia. The state sees about 500 cases a year.