Oropouche virus: What health care providers and patients need to know

Disclaimer:   The views and opinions expressed during this podcast are those of the individuals participating and do not necessarily represent the official position or opinion of the SOGC.  Summary:  In this episode, Dr. Jocelynn Cook, Chief Scientific Officer at the SOGC, is joined by experts Dr. Chelsea Elwood and Dr. Steve Schofield to discuss the emerging Oropouche virus and the potential risks it poses for pregnant individuals. Tune in for an informative episode that explores symptoms, prevention methods and the latest public health guidelines for patients.About Dr. CookDr. Jocelynn Cook is the Chief Scientific Officer for the SOGC. She has a PhD in Reproductive Physiology from the Medical University of South Carolina. She oversees all work related to Continuing Medical Education, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Research, Accreditation, Global Health and Indigenous Health. Her professional career has focused on issues related to maternal-fetal medicine including substance abuse during pregnancy, preterm birth and maternal mortality.About Dr. SchofieldDr. Steve Schofield has worked with the Canadian military for more than 20 years. His focus is communicable disease control and prevention. In this role, he advises on how to protect deploying troops including through use of vaccines and countermeasures to prevent insect bites. Steve has been allowed to play with people way smarter than him, including for some 20 years with the Canadian Committee to Advise in Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), and has spent shorter stints on working groups for the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the Unites States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. In a past life, he obtained a PhD from Imperial College which involved chasing things like tsetse flies in Zimbabwean national parks. He still sometimes chases insects and their ilk, including on his rural property, where he practices what he preaches to avoid being bitten by the Borrelia-infected ticks that have moved in over the last few years.About Dr. ElwoodDr. Chelsea Elwood completed her B.M.Sc. and M.Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Western Ontario completed her medical training at the University of British Columbia including a fellowship in Reproductive Infectious Disease. She has a varied clinical practice including being the Medical Director of the Oak Tree clinic and the antimicrobial stewardship program at BCWH which focus on infections as they related to women’s health and reproduction.  She has authored numerous guidelines and lead provincial and national responses in those areas.