91AV scientist pens piece for Portland Press Herald about Zika and the Olympics

Meghan May pens piece for the 'Press Herald'

Meghan May, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical sciences in the 91AV’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, called for moving the summer Olympics due to the risks associated with the Zika virus in a piece for the Portland Press Herald.

May, an infectious disease expert, wrote that holding the Olympic games in an active epidemic zone for the virus could put people all over the world at risk. “I am not saying that those who travel to Rio de Janeiro are themselves at risk of severe illness or death. I am saying they are at risk of infection, and an infected person, whether or not they are overtly sick, becomes an excellent delivery vehicle for Zika.”

The Zika virus infection causes fever, joint pain, headache, fatigue and occasionally a rash in infected patients. It is rarely fatal but in pregnant women it has been found to lead to microcephaly, a neurological birth defect that produces unusually small heads and underdeveloped brains in newborns.

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.