Mark J Sotir

Publications (2)5.18 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: Gilberto A. Santiago

  Article: A cluster of dengue cases in American missionaries returning from Haiti, 2010.

  Tyler M Sharp, Parvathy Pillai, Elizabeth Hunsperger, Gilberto A Santiago, Teresa Anderson, Trina Vap, Jeremy Collinson, Bryan F Buss, Thomas J Safranek, Mark J Sotir, Emily S Jentes, Jorge L Munoz-Jordan, D Fermin Arguello
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  ABSTRACT: Dengue is an acute febrile illness caused by four mosquito-borne dengue viruses (DENV-1 to -4) that are endemic throughout the tropics. After returning from a 1-week missionary trip to Haiti in October of 2010, 5 of 28 (18%) travelers were hospitalized for dengue-like illness. All travelers were invited to submit serum specimens and complete questionnaires on pre-travel preparations, mosquito avoidance practices, and activities during travel. DENV infection was confirmed in seven (25%) travelers, including all travelers that were hospitalized. Viral sequencing revealed closest homology to a 2007 DENV-1 isolate from the Dominican Republic. Although most (88%) travelers had a pre-travel healthcare visit, only one-quarter knew that dengue is a risk in Haiti, and one-quarter regularly used insect repellent. This report confirms recent DENV transmission in Haiti. Travelers to DENV-endemic areas should receive dengue education during pre-travel health consultations, follow mosquito avoidance recommendations, and seek medical care for febrile illness during or after travel.
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 01/2012; 86(1):16-22. · 2.59 Impact Factor
• Article: Characteristics and spectrum of disease among ill returned travelers from pre- and post-earthquake Haiti: The GeoSentinel experience.

  Douglas H Esposito, Pauline V Han, Phyllis E Kozarsky, Patricia F Walker, Effrossyni Gkrania-Klotsas, Elizabeth D Barnett, Michael Libman, Anne E McCarthy, Vanessa Field, Bradley A Connor, Eli Schwartz, Susan MacDonald, Mark J Sotir
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  ABSTRACT: To describe patient characteristics and disease spectrum among foreign visitors to Haiti before and after the 2010 earthquake, we used GeoSentinel Global Surveillance Network data and compared 1 year post-earthquake versus 3 years pre-earthquake. Post-earthquake travelers were younger, predominantly from the United States, more frequently international assistance workers, and more often medically counseled before their trip than pre-earthquake travelers. Work-related stress and upper respiratory tract infections were more frequent post-earthquake; acute diarrhea, dengue, and Plasmodium falciparum malaria were important contributors of morbidity both pre- and post-earthquake. These data highlight the importance of providing destination- and disaster-specific pre-travel counseling and post-travel evaluation and medical management to persons traveling to or returning from a disaster location, and evaluations should include attention to the psychological wellbeing of these travelers. For travel to Haiti, focus should be on mosquito-borne illnesses (dengue and P. falciparum malaria) and travelers' diarrhea.
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 01/2012; 86(1):23-8. · 2.59 Impact Factor