Page 41 - Bringing UHN into Focus - 2015-2016 Year in Review
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TApEr/A15MMaEy/N15GJAunG/1E5 MJuEl/1N5 T Aug/15 Sept/15 Oct/15 Nov/15 Dec/15 Jan/16 Feb/16 Mar/16
Mosquito-borne virus getting close to
U.S. IT TRANSFORMATION
A mosquito-borne virus, with a advised pregnant women not to travel to a specific
region during an outbreak.
pRosEsiSbEleAliRnkCtHo bAirNthDdIeNfeNctsO, iVs ATION “The world we live in is very interconnected now,”
says, Dr. Bogoch, who is an assistant professor at the
spreading rapidly across South and University of Toronto. “Things don’t happen in isolation
Central America, and the Caribbean, anymore.
with potential to reach the United “Infections from the far corners of the world can
States, according to infectious disease specialists at quickly reach us here on our doorstep.”
In their paper, the authors map out high-risk
Toronto GeneralManIdCSHt.EMNiEchRaeIlN’s THEoGspRitaAlsT.ION international pathways of the Zika virus, along with
geographical areas that encourage its spread, through
In Correspondence published in The Lancet, Toronto mapping climate, temperature, mosquito populations,
General Hospital Tropical Infectious Disease specialist and airline flight patterns.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, Dr. Kamran Khan, Infectious Disease Their mapped data show that more than 60 per cent of
physician at St. Michael’s Hospital, and co-authors the population in Argentina, Italy and the U.S. live in
map out the spread of the Zika virus, typically found areas that are susceptible to seasonal or summer Zika
in Africa and Asia-Pacific, across South and Central virus transmission, while Mexico, Columbia and the
America, resulting in an epidemic in Brazil. Estimates U.S. have millions of people living in areas that are at
in Brazil range from 440,000 – 1,300,000 cases. risk for year-round transmission.
Soon after the article was published, the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention advised pregnant
women against travelling to Latin America and the
Caribbean. This is the first time the department
Link to full story: click here.
Also Making News
Toronto General Hospital Tropical Infectious Disease specialist UHN Bioethics: when patients’
Dr. Isaac Bogoch was part of the team that mapped out the spread requests prompt ethical issues
of the Zika virus. (Photo: UHN)
Canadian Cancer Society honours
Year in Review 2015 – 2016 Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz with
prestigious research award
Giving wheelchairs a home keeps
patients on their feet
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