Low Risk of International Zika Virus Spread due to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil
Authors: Joseph A. Lewnard, Gregg Gonsalves, Albert I. Ko
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2016)

Ideas and Opinions16 August 2016Low Risk of International Zika Virus Spread due to the 2016 Olympics in BrazilJoseph A. Lewnard, MPhil, Gregg Gonsalves, MPhil, and Albert I. Ko, MDJoseph A. Lewnard, MPhilFrom Yale School of Public Health, Global Health Justice Partnership, and Yale Law School, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil., Gregg Gonsalves, MPhilFrom Yale School of Public Health, Global Health Justice Partnership, and Yale Law School, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil., and Albert I. Ko, MDFrom Yale School of Public Health, Global Health Justice Partnership, and Yale Law School, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M16-1628 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Brazil is the most severely affected country in Latin America's ongoing Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic, which was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) amid recognition of ZIKV as a cause of microcephaly and other congenital disorders, as well as Guillain–Barré syndrome. The Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro is scheduled to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games from August to September 2016, with a projected attendance of 350 000 to 500 000 visitors.Considerable attention is being focused on potential ZIKV exposure among travelers attending the Olympics and the possibility that they will contribute ...References1. Attaran A, Caplan A, Gaffney C, Igel L. Open letter to Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General, WHO. Accessed at www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/05/Zika-Olympics-Open-Letter-to-WHO-current2.pdf on 15 July 2016. Google Scholar2. Codeço C, Villela D, Gomes MF, Bastos L, Cruz O, Struchiner C, et al. Zika is not a reason for missing the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro: response to the open letter of Dr Attaran and colleagues to Dr Margaret Chan, Director - General, WHO, on the Zika threat to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2016;111:414-5. [PMID: 27304097] doi:10.1590/0074-02760160003 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. World Health Organization. WHO public health advice regarding the Olympics and Zika virus. Accessed at www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/zika-health-advice-olympics/en/# on 15 July 2016. Google Scholar4. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde–Ministério da Saúde. Protocolo de vigilância e resposta à ocorrência de microcefalia. Accessed at http://combateaedes.saude.gov.br/images/sala-de-situacao/Microcefalia-Protocolo-de-vigilancia-e-resposta-10mar2016-18h.pdf on 15 July 2016. Google Scholar5. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde–Ministério da Saúde. Monitoramento dos casos de dengue, febre de chikungunya e febre pelo vírus Zika até a Semana Epidemiológica 48, 2015. Bol Epidemiol. 2015;46:1-9. Google Scholar6. Massad E, Coutinho FA, Wilder-Smith A. Is Zika a substantial risk for visitors to the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games? [Letter]. Lancet. 2016;388:25. [PMID: 27323918] doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30842-X CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Lessler J, Ott C, Carcelen A, Konikoff J. Times to key events in the course of Zika infection and their implications: a systematic review and pooled analysis. Bull World Health Organ. 2016;(Apr):1-16. Google Scholar8. Secretaria Nacional de Políticas de Turismo. Anuário Estatístico de Turismo–2015. Accessed at www.turismo.gov.br/images/pdf/anuario_estatistico_de_turismo_2015_ano_base_2014_pdf.pdf on 15 July 2016. Google Scholar9. Eberhardt KA, Vinnemeier CD, Dehnerdt J, Rolling T, Steffen R, Cramer JP. Travelers to the FIFA world cup 2014 in Brazil: health risks related to mass gatherings/sports events and implications for the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2016;14:212-20. [PMID: 27238909] doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2016.05.014 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Zika virus disease in the United States, 2015–2016. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html on 15 July 2016. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Yale School of Public Health, Global Health Justice Partnership, and Yale Law School, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M16-1628.Corresponding Author: Joseph A. Lewnard, MPhil, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Suite 710, New Haven, CT 06520; e-mail, joseph.[email protected]edu.Current Author Addresses: Mr. Lewnard and Dr. Ko: Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Suite 710, New Haven, CT 06520.Mr. Gonsalves: Yale Global Health Justice Partnership, PO Box 208215, New Haven, CT 06520Author Contributions: Conception and design: J.A. Lewnard, G. Gonsalves, A.I. Ko.Analysis and interpretation of the data: J.A. Lewnard, A.I. Ko.Drafting of the article: J.A. Lewnard, G. Gonsalves, A.I. Ko.Critical revision for important intellectual content: G. Gonsalves, A.I. Ko.Final approval of the article: J.A. Lewnard, G. Gonsalves, A.I. Ko.Statistical expertise: J.A. Lewnard.Obtaining of funding: A.I. Ko.Collection and assembly of data: J.A. Lewnard.This article was published at www.annals.org on 25 July 2016. 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