Doctors at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center on Tuesday acknowledged that Speaker poses a relatively low risk of transmitting the diseases to others but that they still need to take precautions because the bacteria can always grow and show in lung and sputum at a later stage.
"He has a number of features that make us optimistic about the potential outcome of his treatment," Dr. Michael Iseman, senior staff physician at Denver facility told the AP, adding that factors such as strength of immune systems of other people would be taken into account before giving the go ahead for Speaker to occasionally leave his isolation room.
Speaker is believed to be infected with a multiple-drug resistant form of tuberculosis called extensively drug resistant TB, or XDR-TB. The disease can spread through the air and can be fatal.
He has currently been placed in a special unit with two rooms and a ventilation system at Denver hospital where doctors are treating him with intravenous antibiotics.
Speaker is the first person since 1963 to be placed under federal quarantine.
