U. doctor advising the Olympics says of Zika: 'Be concerned, but don't panic'


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SALT LAKE CITY — Dr. Carrie Byington is in the eye of an ever-changing storm: Zika.

"It's probably just the tip of the iceberg," she said about the disease. The University of Utah Health Care doctor says scientists have known about it since 1947, but didn't realize the full extent of its interactions with humans.

"The congenital Zika Virus Syndrome is very severe," Byington said.

Here's what we know: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it causes microcephaly in infants, or smaller than normal head size. It can also cause neurological problems, hydrocephalus, or water on the brain.

However, Byington says 80 percent of infections with Zika Virus have no symptoms. And while it's transmitted by mosquitoes and sexual contact, researchers are looking at other possibilities.

"We live in a global world, and these infections do not respect borders," Byington said.

About 500,000 people will travel to Rio for the Olympics; about 200,000 of them Americans, according to the New York Times. Rio is the epicenter of the epidemic.

"One of the questions was, 'Should the games be cancelled?' Is it going to accelerate the spread of the epidemic?'" Byington said. "Some people will get Zika virus who go and travel to the Olympic Games, but it doesn't seem like that would be enough to accelerate the spread of the virus worldwide. That's happening already."

Byington is leading a study funded by the National Institutes of Health to monitor exposure among people traveling with the U.S. Olympic cohort. They are currently enrolling athletes, coaches, and staff by taking urine samples, saliva swabs, and finger prints.

Athletes get their blood drawn for a study led by University of Utah Health Care Dr. Carrie Byington (Photo: KSL-TV)
Athletes get their blood drawn for a study led by University of Utah Health Care Dr. Carrie Byington (Photo: KSL-TV)

"We're recruiting them here at the team processing," Byington said from Houston, Texas. "We're telling them about Zika Virus, how to prevent Zika Virus, how they can stay safe and also testing them before and after they go."

They'll look at how long the virus persists in the female reproductive tract. She hopes to enroll 1,000 people, who they'll test for Zika. Those who have it, they'll follow for one year. Of those, the ones who become pregnant or whose partner becomes pregnant, they'll follow for two years and maybe longer.

"These mosquitoes live inside, so trying to prevent them from getting inside is important," Byington said. She's also advising the USOC how to protect their athletes and staff.

"We are so behind them," she said. "We are cheering for them. We are supporting them. We feel like this is our little way to contribute to their success in Rio."

Mel Nichols, a U.S. Olympic Archery coach, said his whole team joined the study. "Anything that will help us out and give us knowledge — we're all for that," Nichols said. "It takes very little time and I know there's a good team working on this for us that we've got 100 percent confidence in."

Zika is already in 60 countries. Here's how it's spreading so quickly in Brazil: Sn Aedes mosquito bites someone who has Zika. That mosquito becomes infected. It then bites four more people and gives them the virus, and that process multiplies again and again.

Byington said, "Without the testing, they might not know if they actually had Zika Virus. This way, they'll get to know for sure."

Byington remembered the day a representative from the USOC called her. "(It was) exciting," she said, and she laughed. As a mother and pediatrician, she's putting everything she has into her work, and said she takes it personally and passionately. She hopes to learn how to better protect infants here at home.

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She said there's a lot we know about Zika, but a lot we don't know. "Like everything in science, the more you learn, the more questions you have," she said.

She's hopeful that the U.S. will fare better than other Zika-endemic countries.

"Will we experience the type of outbreaks that other countries have had? I hope the answer is 'no.' We have a much stronger public health system here. We have a much stronger mosquito control program," she said.

Byington said being prepared and staying calm will help officials deal with this health crisis.

There is currently no vaccine for Zika virus, and no known treatment.

Heather Simonsen is an Emmy-winning health reporter for KSL 5 TV. She's been featured in O Magazine, the New York Times, Salt Lake Magazine, Utah Style & Design and local newspapers. She was a spokesperson for the Olympics and is the mother of three.

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