By Kirby Arnold
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – Carlos Guillen, who has shaken off his penchant for injuries and played 140 of the Seattle Mariners’ 154 games this season, has been diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Guillen has felt sick for the past several days and tests on Friday revealed the disease. He immediately began taking antibiotics and the team was hopeful that he will miss only a week.
The Mariners have eight games remaining in the regular season, through Oct. 7, and will begin the playoffs on Oct. 9.
“Whether or not Carlos is feeling well enough to play remains to be seen,” said Dr. Mitch Storey, the team’s physician. “He’s going to be on a number of medications which may make him not feel as well. He isn’t feeling as well today as he has in the last few days.
“We’ll know better in a week’s time. I can’t be specific on when he’s going to return.”
Manager Lou Piniella said Guillen has been spitting up blood and was so sick on Thursday, an off day for the team, that he went to an area hospital. Still, he was back at the ballpark Friday fully preparing to play.
“We’re all thinking about the young man,” Piniella said. “He’s an integral part of what we’ve done here.”
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease that, like the common cold, spreads through the air. Those who are sick with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB of the lungs) are infectious. When they cough, sneeze, talk or spit, TB germs are propelled into the air. Infection usually occurs only after a prolonged period of exposure to an infectious person.
“It requires typically long periods of intimate exposure,” Storey said. “It is spread primarily airborne, not by shaking hands, not by sharing cups and bats and gloves.”
Because of the close contact players have with each other – in clubhouses, on buses and on airplanes – the Mariners are concerned about everyone on the team.
Storey said they all will be tested.
“We don’t believe any of them are at immediate risk,” he said. “We’re going to take precautions and test all the players who have been exposed to Carlos. We don’t believe that anybody else is at risk at this point of becoming ill with tuberculosis as long as we do the appropriate screening. As long as they are treated before they become ill, they never feel the symptoms.”
Storey met with the team after Friday’s game to discuss Guillen’s condition and discuss testing procedures. Piniella said the team and all front-office personnel will be tested Thursday.
The players were shocked when they learned of the diagnosis.
“We just have to hope that Carlos will be OK and he’ll be back soon and he’ll be ready for the playoffs,” Stan Javier said.
Storey believes Guillen contracted the bacteria as much as a year ago. He tested negative for TB during the team’s routine medical screenings during spring training.
“He’s from Venezuela and the likelihood is he picked it up in Venezuela because it is one of the endemic countries (where TB is common),” Storey said. “We’ll never probably know that.
“He probably has only been sick with tuberculosis for the last two weeks. At this point, because we feel he is contagious, we are recommending that he quarantine himself until he’s not at risk to the public. He probably will be feeling much better in two weeks.”
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