Andrew Speaker TB Patient Identified As Atlanta Attorney

Patient To Get Specialized Care In Denver

A man with a rare form of tuberculosis arrived in Denver for treatment.

DENVER -- The tuberculosis patient under the first federal quarantine since 1963 is a 31-year-old personal injury attorney who practices law with his father in Atlanta, a federal law enforcement official said Thursday.

The official, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to talk about the case, identified the patient as Andrew Speaker. A medical official in Atlanta also confirmed the name on condition of anonymity.

The man has a rare and dangerous form of tuberculosis that has proved resistant to drugs. He arrived at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center for treatment Thursday, walking under his own power after flying from Atlanta with his wife and federal marshals, hospital spokesman William Allstetter said.

He looked healthy and tan, and "he said he still felt fine," Allstetter said.

Doctors plan to begin treating the man immediately with two antibiotics, one oral and one intravenous. He also will undergo a basic physical exam, a test to evaluate how infectious he is and a CT scan and lung X-ray, Allstetter said. Doctors hope to also determine where he contracted the disease.

He will be kept in a special unit with two rooms and a ventilation system, Allstetter said.