she was transferred by air and ground ambulance to the inh. now the cdc and other health departments are trying to contact other passengers on her flight and anyone who might have come in contact with her in at least three states. while the risk of contracting the disease on an aircraft is low, they take it very seriously. >> people who were on that plane with her owe it to themselves and their close contacts to be followed up to see whether they're infected. >> tb bacteria are released into the air when someone with the disease coughs, talks, sneezes or sings. people with lower immunity especially with hiv, are more at risk. in 2007 an atlanta man who knew he had tb yet flew from europe to canada then drove into the u.s. to evade u.s. authorities. he was treated and released. now this morning a tb case here at the nih. >> now this patient here at the nih could undergo weeks, months even years of treatment.