InFocus interview with Sarah Bethencourt

Sarah Bethencourt is the ZIKAlliance local coordinator in Venezuela and works across WP1 and WP2.

What work do you do related to Zika – and to ZIKAlliance?

[ENG] I am the local coordinator in Venezuela, I have been developing as local coordinator of another multicenter project called IDAMS.

[ES] Soy el coordinador local en Venezuela, vengo desarrollandome  como coordinador local de otro proyecto multicéntrico llamado IDAMS.

How many suspected and confirmed cases of Zika have you seen in your area of enrolment?

[ENG] We have not coiled confirmed patients of ZIKA, all our patients are asymptomatic and the few that have been processed the PCR for ZIKA has given negative.

[ES] No hemos enrrolado pacientes confirmados de ZIKA, todas nuestras pacientes son asintomáticas y a las pocas que se les ha procesado el PCR para ZIKA ha dado negativo.

How many sites do you enrol patients in?

[ENG] We have 2 patient care centers, in the Isabelica outpatient clinic which is type 4 and in the High Risk Maternity Hospital of the hospital Dr. Enrique Tejera (CHET)

[ES] Tenemos 2 centros de atención de pacientes, en el ambulatorio la Isabelica el cual es tipo 4 y en la Maternidad de la ciudad hospitalaria Dr. Enrique Tejera (CHET)

How many patients have you enrolled to date?

[ENG] 57 patients have been enrolled to date.

[ES] 57 pacientes llevamos enrroladas a la fecha.

Has it been easy or difficult to enrol patients to this study, and why?

[ENG] It's been easy, mothers always want to protect the health of their children.

[ES] Ha sido fácil, las madres siempre quieren proteger la salud de sus hijos.

Do people in your enrolment area care about Zika, and what do you do to communicate with them?

[ENG] Patients who participate in the project can communicate with the research team by our cell phones or by writing to the project email, whose address is ZIKAlliance.vzla@gmail.com, and they are happy to clarify their doubts and schedule consultations outside Of their routine evaluation.

[ES] Las pacientes que participan en el proyecto pueden comunicarse con el equipo investigador por nuestros teléfonos celulares o escribiendo a el correo del proyecto, cuya dirección es ZIKAlliance.vzla@gmail.com, y con gusto se le aclaran sus dudas y se le programan consultas fuera de su evaluación rutinaria.

Why did you want to participate in ZIKAlliance?

[ENG] I develop as a lecturer and researcher at the University of Carabobo, and participating in ZIKAlliance is an opportunity to help in the prevention and control of this disease, the most susceptible population such as pregnant women.

[ES] Me desarrollo como docente titular e investigador en la Universidad de Carabobo, y participar de ZIKAlliance es una oportunidad para ayudar en la prevención y control de está enfermedad, a la población más susceptible como son las embarazadas.

What do you consider the biggest challenge(s) to participating in this project?

[ENG] The greatest challenge for us is represented by the situation of conflict that is occurring in the country.

[ES] El mayor reto para nosotros lo representa la situación de conflicto que se viene presentando en el país.

So far, what would you say is the best thing about being part of this project?

[ENG] The valuable information that is generated in the different consortiums that study Zika.

[ES] La valiosa información que se va generando en los diferentes consorcios que estudian Zika.

Where do you think we are in understanding and fighting Zika in five years’ time?

[ENG] In the development of vaccines for the prevention of these diseases transmitted by vectors.

[ES] En el desarrollo de vacunas para la prevención de estas enfermedades transmitidas por vectores.

And what do we need to do to get there?

[ENG] To evaluate the immune response generated by the different populations that are being impacted by this virus.

[ES] Evaluar la respuesta inmunitaria que generan las diferentes poblaciones que están siendo impactadas por este virus.