As a specialist in infectious diseases (ID) and author of an indie ID thriller novel “Yellow Death” (with more in the works), I’ve decided to start a blog on infectious diseases not only as I come across them in my fiction reading (e.g. the Andromeda Strain which I recently re-read), but also in real life – from my practice experience, medical journals, CDC bulletins, news media, etc. I’ll try to post every couple of weeks with tidbits of interesting infection-related information explained in non-technical terms.
One major infection of concern in the last couple of months has been the large outbreak of Zika virus which started in Brazil and has rapidly spread to most of South America and Central America, and to many islands in the Caribbean. Zika is mosquito-borne and may cause a fever, rash, red eyes, joint pain and achy flu-like symptoms similar to but much milder than with dengue or Chikungunya virus infections which are also mosquito-transmitted.
he big concern is that Zika infection, unlike the others, seems to confer a risk of congenital microcephaly (literally small head – with underdeveloped brain) in the babies of women infected during early pregnancy. Pregnant travelers must get expert advice with respect to mosquito bite avoidance before a trip to a Zika-affected area – if they go at all! CDC has updated guidelines re Zika and pregnancy on their website as well as the latest information on sexual transmission of Zika.
Expect to hear a lot more about Zika in the media in the coming months as the virus spreads further. Spring has sprung, Summer is coming and the southern half of the US has Aedes mosquitoes quite capable of transmitting the virus if it becomes established here.
While I’m on the subject, another hazardous destination for a pregnant traveler is the Indian subcontinent, where there is a risk of acquiring hepatitis E infection from contaminated food or water. There is no preventive vaccine or gamma globulin and hepatitis E in pregnancy has a 20-30% mortality rate. The risk is highest in urban slums, in refugee camps, after natural disasters, and with other nasty living conditions. The virus is found elsewhere in Asia and Africa but again mainly in areas with poor sanitation. Best to see a travel medicine specialist before going.
