Julio Isidro Maiztegui
Encyclopedia
Julio Isidro Maiztegui was an Argentine physician and epidemiologist.
, Argentina
, in 1931. He received a medical degree
from the University of Buenos Aires
, in 1957, and the following year, began his residency at the Boston University
Hospital. He specialized in the treatment of infectious disease
and in 1964, received a master's degree
in Public Health at Harvard. He entered the Clinical Research and Medical Education Center (CEMIC) in Pergamino (Argentina
) in 1965 and went on to receive a Master of Epidemiology from the University of London
, in 1969.
Returning to Argentina, he began research on Argentine hemorrhagic fever
, a condition known among the country's rural population as the mal de los rastrojos ("the sickness of the corn straw"). Transmitted mainly by mice dwelling in fallow corn fields, the disease was believed to affect up to 1,000 people annually and was concentrated in the pampas. First reported in 1958, the fever claimed up to a 30% mortality rate in its early years.
Maiztegui's research led to a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease: in 1971, he devised the introduction of blood plasma
from recovered patients in saline solution
to those whose exposure had taken place under eight days earlier. The treatment, which reduced motality rates from 30% to around 1% of those infected, led to greater support for the work at CEMIC, and in 1978, the National Institute of Hemorrhagic Viruses
(INVH) was established in Pergamino with Dr. Maiztegui as its director.
A former colleague of Maiztegui's, Dr. Julio Barrera Oro, developed the Candid#1 vaccine at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, in 1985, and the vaccine became available locally in 1990. Dr. Maiztegui remained at the helm of the INVH until his death from heart failure in 1993, at age 62. The INVH was renamed in his honor in 1994 and the Julio Maiztegui Scientific Foundation was established in 1995.
Life and work
Maiztegui was born in Bahía BlancaBahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in 1931. He received a medical degree
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, in 1957, and the following year, began his residency at the Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
Hospital. He specialized in the treatment of infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
and in 1964, received a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Public Health at Harvard. He entered the Clinical Research and Medical Education Center (CEMIC) in Pergamino (Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) in 1965 and went on to receive a Master of Epidemiology from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, in 1969.
Returning to Argentina, he began research on Argentine hemorrhagic fever
Argentine hemorrhagic fever
Argentine hemorrhagic fever or O'Higgins disease, also known in Argentina as mal de los rastrojos, stubble disease, is a hemorrhagic fever and zoonotic infectious disease occurring in Argentina. It is caused by the Junín virus...
, a condition known among the country's rural population as the mal de los rastrojos ("the sickness of the corn straw"). Transmitted mainly by mice dwelling in fallow corn fields, the disease was believed to affect up to 1,000 people annually and was concentrated in the pampas. First reported in 1958, the fever claimed up to a 30% mortality rate in its early years.
Maiztegui's research led to a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease: in 1971, he devised the introduction of blood plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
from recovered patients in saline solution
Saline (medicine)
In medicine, saline is a general term referring to a sterile solution of sodium chloride in water but is only sterile when it is to be placed intravenously, otherwise, a saline solution is a salt water solution...
to those whose exposure had taken place under eight days earlier. The treatment, which reduced motality rates from 30% to around 1% of those infected, led to greater support for the work at CEMIC, and in 1978, the National Institute of Hemorrhagic Viruses
Maiztegui National Human Viral Disease Institute
The Maiztegui National Human Viral Disease Institute is a viral research laboratory in Pergamino, Argentina.-Overview:The INEVH originated in the Clinical Research and Medical Education Center in Pergamino...
(INVH) was established in Pergamino with Dr. Maiztegui as its director.
A former colleague of Maiztegui's, Dr. Julio Barrera Oro, developed the Candid#1 vaccine at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, in 1985, and the vaccine became available locally in 1990. Dr. Maiztegui remained at the helm of the INVH until his death from heart failure in 1993, at age 62. The INVH was renamed in his honor in 1994 and the Julio Maiztegui Scientific Foundation was established in 1995.