Another Worry: Outbreaks of Infectious Disease
Sept. 2, 2005 — -- As areas of the Gulf Coast remain mired in deplorable conditions, medical experts are concerned that if an outbreak of disease were to occur, the current lack of sanitation and communications would make it extremely difficult to contain.
The main worry at this point is intestinal and skin infections associated with contaminated water and food, said Dr. Herbert DuPont, former president of the Infectious Disease Society of America and a physician at St. Luke's Hospital in Houston.
Infectious diarrheas like dysentery, E.coli, shigella, bacteria, amoebas and hepatitis A all present a threat when there are sewage problems, he said. So do skin infections like staph and strep if people's scratches encounter contaminated water.
"The biggest fear is cholera, though that is very unlikely," DuPont said. "But (that) would be the most serious if it did occur … if it gets into the region, it spreads very quickly."
As standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, another worry is the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus, dengue fever and malaria.
"We think it is really important for people to be keeping close track of these potential diseases," said Dr. Cynthia Sears of Johns Hopkins University, who is a member of the IDSA board. "We don't expect this right away … but it could emerge over the next few months."
The crowded living conditions of evacuees could cause acute respiratory infections, she said, while people with chronic medical problems also will be in danger following prolonged periods without medicines and treatments.
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