Florida Society of Rheumatology in the Spotlight

Dr. Valenzuela says medical residents and fellows are invited to attend the FSR’s annual meeting, held each year in Orlando, a destination that holds appeal for both physicians and their families, who often extend their stay to enjoy the perks of nearby Disney World. This year’s conference is currently scheduled to take place Aug. 28–30 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

Dr. Reshma Khan

Feeling the Effects of Climate Change
Dr. Khan, who also founded and moderates a Facebook group for women rheumatologists, notes that rheumatologists in the FSR are also acutely aware of climate change and the effects that Florida’s increased heat and humidity will have on patients. Higher temperatures, rainfall and standing water are already bringing about the rise of mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue, zika and chikungunya in Florida.^3,4

“These are diseases I learned about while studying for my medical degree in India,” Dr. Khan says. “While some of these mosquito-borne illnesses are common in India, it used to be rare to see cases in Florida.”

Dr. Khan says chikungunya, in particular, should be on the radar of internists and rheumatologists, because the virus often causes debilitating arthritis symptoms. The virus has been reported in people who have traveled to Caribbean and Central America. The first case of non-travel-related chikungunya was reported in Florida in 2014 in a couple who had not recently traveled. Between 2014 and 2016, more than 3,800 cases of chikungunya occurred in Florida.⁵

Linda Childers is a health writer located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

References

1. Florida Department of Health. 2019 Physician Workforce Annual Report. 2019 Nov.
2. ACR news release. Capitol Hill briefing to address national shortage of pediatric rheumatologists and impact on children and U.S. healthcare system. 2015 Oct 2.
3. Pullen L. Why rheumatologists should care about zika: How it’s transmitted and spread in the U.S. The Rheumatologist. 2016 Sep 26.
4. Holliman K. Mosquito-borne chikungunya virus can cause long-term arthritis. The Rheumatologist. 2018 Sep 28.
5. Buck B. Can Florida mosquitos transmit new strains of painful chikungunya virus? University of Florida blog. 2017 Jul 27.