News Briefs 2 TB Patients Under 24-Hour Guard by Columbus, Ohio PoliceApril 24, 2003 Columbus, Ohio, police are keeping two men with active
tuberculosis under 24-hour guard because the men will not follow
doctors' orders to stay isolated. The city Health Department will
ask City Council next month for $50,000 to continue guarding
Elijah "Mike" Littlejohn, 43, and Terry Sweitzer, 61. Last month,
Franklin County Probate Judge Lawrence Belskis issued orders to
guard Littlejohn and Sweitzer for as long as 180 days. "The only
time we do this is when they become a danger to the general
public and are refusing to wear a mask out in the general public
or stay home until they test negative," said Frank Cook,
assistant city attorney. Sweitzer is being guarded at Riverside
Methodist Hospital. Littlejohn has been under guard since his
release last week from jail, where his TB was diagnosed. In 2001,
Littlejohn was diagnosed with TB and left Ohio before his
treatment was complete, Cook said. "He had a history of
noncompliance," Cook said. Debbie Coleman, director of the health
department's infectious disease unit, said the men could be
guarded for a few weeks to several months, depending on how
quickly they have three consecutive negative TB tests.
Adapted from:Associated Press 04.24.03 This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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