Journal of Reproductive Health and Contraception

The zoo: Zoonotic infections and maternal health

International Congress on Midwifery and Maternal Health
October 13, 2022 | Webinar

Erin Kiser

Christian University, USA

ScientificTracks Abstracts: J Contracept Stud

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: The effects of globalization, climate change and deforestation are increasing the emergence and risks of zoonotic infections at a rapid pace and, in turn, the impact on maternal health. Per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, the zoonotic diseases of most concern in the United States and other countries are zoonotic influenzas such as bird flu and swine flu, salmonellosis, West Nile Virus, plague, coronaviruses such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), rabies, brucellosis and Lyme disease. Ebola viral disease as well as other haemorrhagic fevers such as Lassa fever, Marburg and dengue continue to impact developing countries and the women who reside there. Additionally, pregnant women carry the additional burden of being immune compromised, which can be further complicated by infections that can cross the placenta. It is not just the mother who is affected but also her unborn child. With new infections being discovered regularly zoonotic infections are quickly changing the landscape of healthcare.

Biography

Erin Kiser is a board certified family nurse practitioner and women’s health nurse practitioner who has worked in military healthcare with a focus on women’s reproductive health for the past 15 years; she has also presented numerous nurse practitioner, physician assistant and medical students. She received her doctorate from Texas Christian University and recently her master of public health with a focus on global health from Liberty University. She has had articles published on the role of nurses during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and on the role of nurses during hurricane recovery. She has volunteered on medical mission trips to South America, the Caribbean and East and West Africa. Her interests include tropical medicine and health disparities faced by women in developing countries.