From the Tropics of Africa to the Plains of Wyoming, Veterinarian Prevents Disease

Growing up in the multicultural environments of Havana, Cuba and Washington D.C., Marta Guerra developed a keen interest in international health. Guerra is a veterinarian and holds a Master's degree in Public Health and Ph.D. in tropical medicine. Today, she is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in CDC's viral and rickettsial disease program.

Immediately after being selected as an EIS officer, she was called to Uganda to help control an Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreak. EIS officers must be prepared to leave their homes indefinitely with short notice if there is an outbreak, but it is a sacrifice they readily make. Such was the case with Guerra. After only two days' notice, she found herself on a plane to Gulu.

Guerra calls her stint in Uganda her most significant experience to date. "It is very rewarding to be able to put into practice what you have been studying," Guerra recalls. Because the strain of Ebola was not as virulent as those found in past outbreaks in other countries, relief teams were able to ensure the survival of more victims. Still, due to the highly infectious nature of the disease and the high death rate (58%), the need to counter the outbreak was dire. Guerra stated that certain Ugandan customs may facilitate the spread of the disease, as families often care for the sick at home and in hospitals, handle the bodies and many villagers attend the funerals of the victims.

EIS relief in Uganda was two-fold. Guerra and her team worked tirelessly to track the spread of the disease and also to educate village residents on prevention and survival. Guerra witnessed firsthand the horrifying effects of the disease, and also the difficult period following recovery. One of the field duties of the EIS officers was to assist the survivor's transition back into society. Out of fear, village members would often burn the houses and possessions of the infected. Family members were reluctant to accept the survivors back into their lives. "You think, 'great, I've survived,' but then you return home and you have nothing," said Guerra. Guerra and other EIS officers educated village residents about Ebola and assured them they were not in danger. This helped to quell their fears and reservations. "It was a very positive experience, the people were glad to have us there," Guerra recalls.

In the race to get ahead of this terrifying disease, Guerra's team used its database to track any contacts that individuals may have had with other people. Those people could then be brought in for immediate diagnosis and treatment, thus increasing their chances of survival and preventing the spread of the disease. Not only were Guerra and her team able to help slow the spread of the disease from five new cases per day to only one new case per week, they were able to do it in less time than they had originally anticipated. Although she was planning to spend Christmas working in Uganda, she was able to return home for the holidays. Guerra credits the Ugandan Ministry of Health and the Ugandan Red Cross for their quick and effective campaign. Guerra and her team left behind equipment and trained the locals to continue surveillance efforts. "It is a wonderful feeling to be able to accomplish what you set out to do," says Guerra.

With so many public health threats in the world, Guerra says CDC has kept her busy with a variety of assignments. Shortly after returning from Uganda, she was sent to investigate a Q fever outbreak on a ranch in Wyoming. Q fever causes stillborn births and spontaneous abortions among goats and sheep, and the fetal tissue is highly infectious, causing acute pneumonia in humans. In the middle of winter, Guerra and a team of health professionals from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wyoming Department of Health took samples from livestock, interviewed people with possible exposures, and tracked down anyone who may have come into contact with the infected animals.

Back in Atlanta, Guerra hopes to direct her future efforts as an EIS officer toward a campaign to increase public awareness of rabies and its wildlife reservoirs. The number of cases of rabies increased in the United States during the past year, and all the U.S.- acquired cases were attributed to strains of the rabies virus associated with bats. In order to curb this disease, she feels the public needs to be educated on the modes of transmission and which species are potential carriers of the virus. From the tropics of Africa to the plains of Wyoming, Guerra's experience at CDC has prepared her for a lifelong career protecting the public's health.