An American man who traveled internationally with tuberculosis - despite instructions not to - has a new diagnosis and is not as sick as government doctors initially said he was. As VOA's Carol Pearson reports, the new diagnosis comes as a huge relief to the patient, his family and to everyone he came in contact with.

Tuberculosis, as seen in a microscope

Dr. Charles Daley made the announcement from the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado, where Speaker is being quarantined.  "For Mr. Speaker, we now have a regimen that is more potent,” says Daley. “And, therefore, we believe his prognosis is better."

Speaker and his fiancée traveled to Europe for their wedding and honeymoon even though doctors were concerned he might spread his disease.

When he returned to the United States, tests by government doctors showed he had extensively drug resistant tuberculosis, meaning surgically removing part of his infected lung was a treatment option. The new results have changed that, not only for Speaker, but for anyone who may have contracted the disease from him.

Dr. Charles Daley

Dr. Mitchell Cohen, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the CDC stands by its decision to quarantine Speaker.

Andrew Speaker with his wife Sarah

"The public health actions that CDC took in this case and are continuing to take are sound and appropriate," says Cohen.

Dr. Cohen explained it is possible to have different types of TB in one sample and in one patient. He also said the CDC's sample could have been contaminated.

Andrew Speaker said he was relieved with the new diagnosis. He said government health officials need to apologize for creating an international panic and for the chilling effect it had on him and his family.