On April 1, USA Network will air the latest in a string of wildly popular, reality based TV shows with its debut of the four-part series "Eco-Challenge Borneo," brought to viewers by "Survivor" creator Mark Burnett. But for dozens of racers who suffered bouts of leptospirosis after trekking through the Malaysian jungles and rivers, the Eco-Challenge wasn't all fun and TV shows.
"Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterium and is usually transmitted to humans through water contaminated with urine from infected animals, usually rats," said UAB Travelers Health Clinic Director David Freedman, M.D. Symptoms include fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Freedman was among the first to identify the outbreak via a worldwide, Internet-based medical surveillance system called GeoSentinal.
Contact Tracy Bischoff, Media Relations, 205-934-8935 or [email protected].
RSS