In 1947, an obscure virus was isolated in a rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest of Uganda. Today, after a recent outbreak in Brazil, that virus threatens the start of the 2016 Olympic games.
The Zika virus was first noted in humans in the 1950s as a result of transmission by mosquitoes. Due to the ease of worldwide travel, infectious diseases previously isolated to specific geographic regions can now spread worldwide.
Mosquitoes flourish in hot climates where there is standing water. This makes countries that do not have adequate sanitation in the form of sewers and drainage particularly vulnerable to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.
Typical symptoms of Zika are fairly benign and consist of rash, fever and joint pain. The feature that makes Zika exceptionally dangerous is its tendency to attack the nervous system.
The human nervous system is divided into the central nervous system that is made up of the brain and spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system that consists of the nerves as they emerge from the spine and extend to the limbs and organs.
Women of childbearing age are specifically vulnerable since a fetus does not have adequate defenses to fight off this infection since it attacks the developing brain resulting in microcephaly with severe intellectual deficits. The virus can also attack the peripheral nerves in adults causing a paralyzing illness known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Considering the demographics of Olympic participants where approximately 44% are women, many of whom are of childbearing age, hesitation regarding the risk of participation is understandable.
The best preventive measures include the liberal use of DEET-containing insect repellant and avoiding excessive skin exposure. Clothing should also be sprayed with repellant.
Oddly, the biggest competition in this year’s Olympics may the one waged between man and mosquito.
Dr. Alessi is a neurologist in Norwich and serves as an on-air contributor for ESPN. He is director of UConn NeuroSport and can be reached at agalessi@uchc.edu
Technology allows amputees to reach athletic potential
The Invictus Games finished up recently in Orlando, Fla. The participants in this multi-sport event were all wounded military personnel. Along with the Paralympics, these events are a tribute to the human spirit and specifically the drive to compete.
Among the athletes facing the greatest challenges are those who have suffered amputations. Battlefield injuries may be the result of explosive devices. Although the torso can be adequately protected, the limbs and the brain are vulnerable to injury. There also have been more amputations as a result of earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Although the most obvious debility is the biomechanical disadvantage of losing an extremity, there are serious potential complications.
After amputation, adequate healing of the remaining stump can be a challenge. The general health of the patient is crucial to healing. Patients with complicating conditions, including diabetes and vascular disease, are more likely to require a longer recuperation for adequate healing.
Another challenge is phantom pain. The nervous system is a network of peripheral nerves that communicate by sending signals to the brain where those signals are recognized and a pattern of limb movement is initiated.
When that network is disrupted after an amputation, the pattern remains in place, creating the often painful phenomenon of a phantom limb.
Research principally conducted by the military has led to the development of modern prostheses consisting of a complex system of hydraulic joints. “New prosthetic limbs are realizing the promise of full functional restoration for patients everywhere,” reports retired United States Army Colonel, Dr. Geoffrey Ling, who is now a professor of neurology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Maryland.
The tragedy of war has prompted technological breakthroughs that allow athletes who have suffered amputations to continue to reach their athletic potential.
Dr. Alessi is a neurologist in Norwich and serves as an on-air contributor for ESPN. He is director of UConn NeuroSport and can be reached at agalessi@uchc.edu
Wearable technology for the elite athlete
Wearable technology has already made its way into almost everyone’s life to some degree. Interestingly, Major League Baseball (MLB) has now allowed the use of these technologies to track players’ performance. Using the data provided by these new devices has a lot of implications.
Smartphones can now track how far and how quickly a person can walk. The Fitbit, Apple Watch, Fuelband and other devices can collect and analyze more data about the wearer’s physiology and sleep habits.
In the case of competitive sports, wearable technology can give an athlete a big advantage in regard to training habits and injury prevention.
Two devices approved by MLB for use during games this season look at different activities. One device is a sleeve that measures stress on elbows. This is specifically designed to collect data that will hopefully decrease the number of Tommy John surgeries that seems to be growing rapidly. The information can help create better coaching techniques and improved arm mechanics at all levels of play.
The other piece of approved wearable technology is a bioharness that monitors heart rate and breathing patterns in real time. These basic physiologic measures can help athletes gain necessary feedback to reach peak performance in stressful conditions.
One area of interest is the field of hydration and electrolyte balance. Specifically, the ability to monitor these parameters and avoid sudden death has become a goal of many scientists.
“The wearable technology industry related to the assessment of hydration status, sweat composition and body temperature has exploded in the past few years,” reports Dr. Douglas Casa, Professor of Kinesiology and CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute at UConn. “As of now we still do not have a valid wearable sensor that can reveal real-time hydration status or provide an accurate estimate of core body temperature. I predict this will change within the next 5 years and will be of great value to the equipment-laden soldier, laborer or athlete who could benefit from this information while training, competing, or working.”
Although many athletes are concerned with the privacy of physiologic data, their concern may be offset by the lifesaving ability this technology can provide.
Dr. Alessi is a neurologist in Norwich and serves as an on-air contributor for ESPN. He is director of UConn NeuroSport and can be reached at agalessi@uchc.edu
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