How safe really is air travel?

All the scares of air born terror plots and faulty mechanics aside, how safe are you on an airplane, when it comes to diseases? Airplanes do have bio-filters, however they can only clean so much air and, after a few hours, you are simply re-breathing dirty , used air. All those heaving lungs, so tightly packed in that aluminum sky ship. You can not expect the atmosphere to stay pure for long. Look at the recent problems with the Avian flu virus, many experts in the area of infectious disease, said that the virus may be able to spread to others from being trapped in aircraft filtration systems. Why, only a few days ago, a man with a highly resistant strain of Tuberculoses was allowed on an international flight. Now the CDC are saying people from these flights should get checked up to make sure this virus hasn't infected other passengers. I believe that the convenience of air travel no longer outweighs it's risks and it won't until the airlines find a way to make the on board environment cleaner. You may wonder if I am merely being paranoid but I do have some personal experience with these kind of diseases. Why just three years ago, one of my good friends was flying back to America from South Africa. While on board he struck up a conversation with one of the stewardesses, an apparently healthy young woman from northern Egypt. She was traveling to the US with her twenty-two year old sister and was hoping she could be shown the sights. My friend, being the helpful type, said he would be glad to show them around, he called me upon their arrival and told me he wanted me to help him with the tour. I agreed, I do like to be helpful. I met them at a local bar and was truly taken aback by
these womens exotic beauty. They both had eyes of almond, their skin was a creamy dark brown, they both had very healthy bodies. No one would have ever guessed that they were both riddled with disease. The fist couple of hours of our tour were pretty uneventful, we went to a few more local bars and a restaurant my friend and I would frequent. Everything was going fine and then, out of nowhere I felt a strange feeling in my body. I was flushed, at first I thought it may be the alcohol but as my body began to heat up, I began to worry. After a few hours more the heat got worse and worse, finally I could not keep it contained. I told them all how I felt, I think it was apparent in my face. The girls could tell that something was wrong and suggested that we all turn in to their hotel for some rest. Their knowing glances should have tipped us off but, maybe it was our weakened states that did not allow us to pick up on this on time. The next two days were spent, mostly in bed, the girls watching over us the whole time, even using their own body heat to keep the cold sweats at bay. Sometimes we felt strong enough to go out and have dinner but the sickness would come back, usually before we reached the desert course and the girls would bring us back to their rooms. On the fourth day, the girls informed us that they had to fly back to South Africa, after that, much was just a blur. Once the girls had gone, both my friend and I started to feel better, but still exhausted from the whole sweaty ordeal. Later on that week I discussed my illness with a friend who was in medical school. He told me that I we were both very lucky to be okay and that he thought we had both come down with a virulent strain of Jungle Fever. I don't know about my friends health but I believe I never really got over my sickness, all that time, all those nights in that hotel bedroom. Now I can finally walk the streets without any real problems but I have talked to others in a Jungle Fever support group. More than likely, the disease had infected my friend on the plane and he and the girls had transmitted it to me. I survived and so did he but, this is not my only story of whoa. I could go on about the day I came down with a serious case of Yellow Fever I caught from Japanese business woman on a two day layover on her way to LA. Then there was the time I came in contact with a strain of the Boogie Woogie Flu that I had caught from girl that was on a band promotional tour. This may have been the worst case I have ever had, I did treat it in time because doctors told me it could have easily become a full blown case of Rocking Pneumonia. Just an article of warning for you, I hope you heed my words.

I know it's a long way to go for a joke but I feel it was worth it. God bless innuendo.