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- Title
Negligible Risk for Epidemics after Geophysical Disasters.
- Authors
Floret, Nathalie; Viel, Jean-François; Mauny, Frédéric; Hoen, Bruno; Piarroux, Renaud
- Abstract
After geophysical disasters (i.e., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis), media reports almost always stress the risk for epidemics; whether this risk is genuine has been debated. We analyzed the medical literature and data from humanitarian agencies and the World Health Organization from 1985 to 2004. Of >600 geophysical disasters recorded, we found only 3 reported outbreaks related to these disasters: 1 of measles after the eruption of Pinatubo in Philippines, 1 of coccidioidomycosis after an earthquake in California, and 1 of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Costa Rica related to an earthquake and heavy rainfall. Even though the humanitarian response may play a role in preventing epidemics, our results lend support to the epidemiologic evidence that short-term risk for epidemics after a geophysical disaster is very low.
- Subjects
CALIFORNIA; PHILIPPINES; EPIDEMICS; NATURAL disasters; MEASLES; MALARIA
- Publication
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2006, Vol 12, Issue 4, p543
- ISSN
1080-6040
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3201/eid1204.051569