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Abstract
Natural disasters may lead to infectious disease outbreaks when they result in substantial population displacement and exacerbate synergic risk factors (change in the environment, in human conditions and in the vulnerability to existing pathogens) for disease transmission. We reviewed risk factors and potential infectious diseases resulting from prolonged secondary effects of major natural disasters that occurred from 2000 to 2011. Natural disasters including floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, tropical cyclones (e.g., hurricanes and typhoons) and tornadoes have been secondarily described with the following infectious diseases including diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, malaria, leptospirosis, measles, dengue fever, viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, meningitis, as well as tetanus and cutaneous mucormycosis. Risk assessment is essential in post-disaster situations and the rapid implementation of control measures through re-establishment and improvement of primary healthcare delivery should be given high priority, especially in the absence of pre-disaster surveillance data.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Sonobe Hidetochi (CARITAS JAPAN staff – working at CARITAS at SENDAI Support Center) for providing useful information on disaster response and volunteer activities as well as infectious diseases (e.g., norovirus and influenza clusters in evacuation centers) during their field investigation in Sendai (June 2011) after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake–Tsunami. The authors also acknowledge Ahmed Amara for his contribution in the group discussion for the validation and categorization of infectious diseases risk factors inand infectious diseases prevention measures and control measures in.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Notes
†Mass management of corpses is often based on the false belief that they represent an epidemic hazard if not buried or burned immediately.
†Food handlers should wash hands with soap and water before beginning work, and before returning to work from any toilet visit or break. Alcohol hand gel should not be substituted for handwashing in food handlers.