Hepatitis disease - Hurricane Aftermath: Infectious Disease Threats From Common, Not Exotic, Diseases

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Hurricane Aftermath: Infectious Disease Threats From Common, Not Exotic, Diseases

Alan

2005-09-25, 10:33 am

Washington, DC (September 13, 2005) -- In the wake of Katrina, the public health
threats from infectious diseases in hurricane-devastated areas are more likely
to come from milder, more common infections rather than exotic diseases. These
common infections can often be prevented using simple hygiene measures and a
little common sense.

"Deadly diseases, such as typhoid or cholera, are unlikely to break out after
hurricanes and floods in areas where these diseases do not already naturally
occur," says Ruth Berkelman, MD, Chair of the Public and Scientific Affairs
Board of the American Society for Microbiology. "The greatest threats to the
people in the affected areas are going to be from diseases that were already
there."

Dr. Berkelman is the Rollins Professor and Director of the Center for Public
Health Preparedness and Research at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory
University. She is a former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States and
former deputy director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases
(NCID).

Common infectious disease problems in New Orleans in the coming weeks are likely
to be skin and soft-tissue infections, most likely from cuts, abrasions and
wounds. The primary culprits will be Staphylococcus and Streptococcus bacteria,
both of which can generally be treated with available antibiotics. Diseases
caused by consumption of contaminated food or water as well as diseases caused
by mosquitoes or other insect bites are also a threat.

Vibrio vulnificus can also cause serious infections, either wound infections or
blood poisoning (septicemia); V. vulnificus is a bacterium that is normally
present in Gulf Coast waters and is usually contracted by eating tainted
seafood. It is primarily a threat to people with weakened immune systems or
liver dysfunction. The CDC has confirmed 15 infections with V. vulnificus, 3 of
which were fatal. These cases have occurred in areas other than New Orleans
where the water has greater salinity.

Another concern is diarrhea and gastrointestinal illnesses from the flood
waters. Short bouts of diarrhea and upset stomachs sometimes occur after natural
disasters and can be caused sewage contamination of the water. Although at high
levels in floodwaters, the E. coli found in New Orleans is the type commonly
associated with fecal contamination and is not the E. coli H7:O157 strain that
can cause serious kidney disease and bloody diarrhea.

"At this point in time, I think it is just common sense to continue drinking
only bottled water unless authorities have tested the water now being piped into
some facilities and have declared it safe to drink," says Berkelman. "To also
prevent risk of infection, people should practice basic hygiene, frequently
washing their hands with soap and clean water or disinfecting hands with an
alcohol-based hand cleaner. Individuals should not eat food that has been
exposed to flood waters or that has not been properly refrigerated."

One common misperception is that the body of a person who died as the result of
the hurricane and is still in the city poses a risk of infection.

"Decaying bodies pose very little risk for major disease outbreaks," says
Berkelman. Furthermore, mosquitoes do not spread disease by feeding on dead
bodies. There is, however, a risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile
because mosquitoes breed in standing water. Appropriate pest management,
including addressing the need to get rid of standing water, is an important
public health measure, she said. A bacterial disease, leptospirosis, may be
caused by exposure to water contaminated by rodent urine and can be treated
successfully with antibiotics.

Over the long term, mold may also pose a threat. Mold growth is an indicator of
excess moisture, and much will need to be done to dry out New Orleans and clean
up mold growth. Some environmental molds can cause allergic reactions.

For more information on the potential health effects from Hurricane Katrina and
what can be done about them, visit the CDC website at
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/katrina.asp.

The American Society for Microbiology, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the
largest single life science association, with 42,000 members worldwide. Its
members work in educational, research, industrial, and government settings on
issues such as the environment, the prevention and treatment of infectious
diseases, laboratory and diagnostic medicine, and food and water safety. The
ASM's mission is to gain a better understanding of basic life processes and to
promote the application of this knowledge for improved health and economic and
environmental well-being.

The original news release can be found here.

http://www.asm.org/Media/index.asp?bid=37833

Alan

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