LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A passenger with contagious disease has been isolated during a flight from Asia to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), prompting federal health officials to launch an investigation, authorities said on Sunday.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) got involved soon after it was determined the passenger had some sort of food poisoning or other stomach problem, city fire officials said.

    Some 343 passengers and crew were held aboard the United Airlines jet for nearly an hour before they were allowed to deplane, officials said.

    Los Angeles City Fire spokesman Cecil Manresa said paramedics were called to LAX Terminal 7 early Sunday morning by United Airlines. By the time the rescue team had arrived, a representative from CDC was already on the plane's upper deck, where the sick person had been isolated by airlines crew.

    Passengers of the United Airlines jumbo jet, inbound from Bangkok and Tokyo, were held at gate 74 while the CDC representative sought to determine whether the sick person on board was highly contagious.