Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Infectious Diseases in the Aftermath of Hurricanes in the United States

Current Tropical Medicine Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review:

We aim to highlight the common infectious pathogens that affect evacuees, non-evacuees, and medical responders following hurricanes in the USA, in order to help clinicians quickly diagnose and treat patients and increase medical preparedness in hurricane affected areas.

Recent Findings:

Hurricanes facilitate the spread of infectious pathogens through population displacement, flooding, and trauma. Hurricane shelters create conditions that lead to the spread of infectious pathogens due to overcrowding, resource limitation, and reduced hygiene. The pathogens that tend to spread during hurricanes are often endemic to the hurricane-affected area. Patients with chronic infections, such as HIV and tuberculosis, can experience disruption in medical care during hurricanes.

Summary:

The Gulf and Atlantic Coasts of the USA have experienced many devastating and costly hurricanes in recent history. Hurricanes create conditions that facilitate the spread of endemic infectious pathogens, especially among evacuees and temporary residents of emergency shelters, and can also damage public health infrastructure which can disrupt medical care in patients with chronic infections. In order to mitigate the effects of hurricanes on the spread of infectious diseases, public health workers and clinicians should implement preparedness plans that ensure patients with chronic infections have sufficient supply of their medications in the event that their care is disrupted, patients have copies of their medical records, evacuation centers are appropriately staffed and supplied, infection control protocols are implemented in evacuation centers, and emergency responders are provided with education on potential infectious exposures and have access to protective equipment to minimize the spread of infectious pathogens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Blake E, Rappaport E, Jarrell J, Landsea C. The deadliest, costliest, and most intense united states tropical cyclones from 1851 to 2004. NOAA Tech Memo NWS Trop Predict Center-4. 2005 [cited 2018 May 2]; Available from: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-TPC-4.pdf

  2. Smith AB, Katz RW. US billion-dollar weather and climate disasters: data sources, trends, accuracy and biases. Nat Hazards. 2013;67(2):387–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kates RW, Colten CE, Laska S, Leatherman SP. Reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina: a research perspective. PNAS. 2006;103(40):14653–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Smith A. 2017 U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters: a historic year in context | NOAA Climate.gov [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018 May 2]. Available from: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/beyond-data/2017-us-billion-dollar-weather-and-climate-disasters-historic-year

  5. Centers for disease control and prevention. infectious disease and dermatologic conditions in evacuees and rescue workers after Hurricane Katrina --- multiple states, August–September, 2005. MMWR. 2005;54:1–4.

  6. Shultz JM, Russell J, Espinel Z. Epidemiology of tropical cyclones: the dynamics of disaster, disease, and development. Epidemiol Rev. 2005;27(1):21–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Saulnier DD, Brolin Ribacke K, von Schreeb J. No calm after the storm: a systematic review of human health following flood and storm disasters. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(5):568–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Watson JT, Gayer M, Connolly MA. Epidemics after natural disasters. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13(1):1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Waring SC, Brown BJ. The threat of communicable diseases following natural disasters: a public health response. Disaster Manag Response. 2005;3(2):41–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. McMichael AJ. Extreme weather events and infectious disease outbreaks. Virulence. 2015;6(6):543–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Stephens KU, Grew D, Chin K, Kadetz P, Greenough PG, Burkle FM, et al. Excess mortality in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: a preliminary report. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2007;1(1):15–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Berggren RE, Curiel TJ. After the storm—health care infrastructure in post-Katrina New Orleans. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(15):1549–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lopez C, Bergeron T, Ratard R, Straif-Bourgeois S, Young S, Mott J, et al. Injury and illness surveillance in hospitals and acute-care facilities after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita--New Orleans area, Louisiana, September 25–October 15, 2005. MMWR. 2006;55:35–8.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Natural disasters and severe weather: infectious disease after a disaster. 2017. [cited 2018 Jun 28]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/disease/infectious.html

  15. Rath B, Young EA, Harris A, Perrin K, Bronfin DR, Ratard R, et al. Adverse respiratory symptoms and environmental exposures among children and adolescents following Hurricane Katrina. Public Health Rep. 2011;126(6):853–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Murray KO, Kilborn C, desVignes-Kendrick M, Koers E, page V, Selwyn BJ, et al. Emerging disease syndromic surveillance for Hurricane Katrina evacuees seeking shelter in Houston’s astrodome and Reliant Park complex. Public Health Rep 2009;124(3):364–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yee EL, Palacio H, Atmar RL, Shah U, Kilborn C, Faul M, et al. Widespread outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis among evacuees of Hurricane Katrina residing in a large “Megashelter”; in Houston, Texas: lessons learned for prevention. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44(8):1032–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gaither JB, Page R, Prather C, Paavola F, Garrett AL. Impact of a hurricane shelter viral gastroenteritis outbreak on a responding medical team. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):355–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Bok K, Green KY. Norovirus gastroenteritis in immunocompromised patients. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(10):971.

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Kouadio IK, Aljunid S, Kamigaki T, Hammad K, Oshitani H. Infectious diseases following natural disasters: prevention and control measures. Expert Rev Anti-Infect Ther. 2012;10(1):95–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Robinson B, Alatas MF, Robertson A, Steer H. Natural disasters and the lung. Respirology. 2011;16(3):386–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Allworth A. Infectious disease considerations related to sudden flooding disasters for the emergency physician. Emerg Med Australas. 2011;23(2):120–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ahmed QA, Memish ZA. The public health planners’ perfect storm: Hurricane Matthew and Zika virus. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2017;15:63–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Rigau-pé Rez JG, Ayala-l Pez A, Garc A-rivera EJ, Hudson SM, Vorndam V, Reiter P, et al. The reappearance of dengue-3 and a subsequent dengue-4 and dengue-1 epidemic in Puerto Rico in 1998. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2002;67(4):355–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquitoes & hurricanes. 2017 [cited 2018 May 2]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/mosquitoes-and-hurricanes.html

  26. Harris JW, Richards SL, Anderson A. Emergency mosquito control on a selected area in eastern North Carolina after hurricane irene. Environ Health Insights. 2014;8(Suppl 2):29–33.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. O’Leary DR, Rigau-Pérez JG, Hayes EB, Vance Vorndam A, Clark GG, Gubler DJ. Assessment of dengue risk in relief workers in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Georges, 1998. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2002;66(1):35–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Caillouët KA, Michaels SR, Xiong X, Foppa I, Wesson DM. Increase in West Nile Neuroinvasive disease after Hurricane Katrina. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008;14(5):804–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Lehman JA, Hinckley AF, Kniss KL, Nasci RS, Smith TL, Campbell GL, et al. Effect of Hurricane Katrina on arboviral disease transmission. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13(8):1273–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Tempark T, Lueangarun S, Chatproedprai S, Wananukul S. Flood-related skin diseases: a literature review. Int J Dermatol. 2013;52(10):1168–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Benedict K, Park BJ. Invasive fungal infections after natural disasters. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014;20(3):349–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Presley T, Rainwater TR, Austin GP, Platt SG, Zak JC, Cobb GP, et al. Assessment of pathogens and toxicants in New Orleans, LA following Hurricane Katrina. Environ Sci Technol. 2006;40(2):468–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Igbinosa IH, Igumbor EU, Aghdasi F, Tom M, Okoh AI. Emerging Aeromonas species infections and their significance in public health. Sci World J. 2012;2012:1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vibrio illnesses after Hurricane Katrina --- multiple states, August–September 2005. MMWR. 2005;54(37):928–31.

  35. Morantz C. CDC reports on illnesses in Hurricane Katrina evacuees and relief workers. Am Fam Physician. 2005;72(10):2126–21234.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ivers LC, Ryan ET. Infectious diseases of severe weather-related and flood-related natural disasters. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2006;19(5):408–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Bandino JP, Hang A, Norton SA. The infectious and noninfectious dermatological consequences of flooding: a field manual for the responding provider. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2015;16(5):399–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Sanders EJ, Rigau-Pérez JG, Smits HL, Deseda CC, Vorndam VA, Aye T, et al. Increase of leptospirosis in dengue-negative patients after a hurricane in Puerto Rico in 1996. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1999;61(3):399–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Seybold U, White N, Wang YF, Halvosa JS, Blumberg HM. Colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms in evacuees after Hurricane Katrina. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2007;28(6):726–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Mirsaeidi M, Motahari H, Khamesi MT, Sharifi A, Campos M, Schraufnagel DE. Climate change and respiratory infections. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016;13(8):1223–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Honda JR, Bernhard JN, Chan ED. Natural disasters and nontuberculous mycobacteria: a recipe for increased disease? Chest. 2015;147(2):304–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Khoor A, Leslie KO, Tazelaar HD, Helmers RA, Colby TV. Diffuse pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria in immunocompetent people (hot tub lung). Am J Clin Pathol. 2001;115(5):755–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Rao CY, Kurukularatne C, Garcia-Diaz JB, Kemmerly SA, Reed D, Fridkin SK, et al. Implications of detecting the mold Syncephalastrum in clinical specimens of New Orleans residents after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. J Occup Environ Med. 2007;49(4):411–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Riddel CE, Surovik JG, Chon SY, Wang W-L, Cho-Vega JH, Cutlan JE, et al. Fungal foes: presentations of chromoblastomycosis post-hurricane Ike. Cutis. 2011;87(6):269–72.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Ader F, Nseir S, Le Berre R, Leroy S, Tillie-Leblond I, Marquette CH, et al. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an emerging fungal pathogen. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2005;11(6):427–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Rao CY, Riggs MA, Chew GL, Muilenberg ML, Thorne PS, Van Sickle D, et al. Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007;73(5):1630–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Bloom MS, Palumbo J, Saiyed N, Lauper U, Lin S. Food and waterborne disease in the greater New York City area following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2016;10(3):503–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Ridpath AD, Bregman B, Jones L, Reddy V, Waechter H, Balter S. Challenges to implementing communicable disease surveillance in New York City evacuation shelters after Hurricane Sandy, November 2012. Public Health Rep. 2015;130(1):48–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Robinson WT, Wendell D, Gruber D. Changes in CD4 count among persons living with HIV/AIDS following Hurricane Katrina. AIDS Care. 2011;23(7):803–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tuberculosis control activities after Hurricane Katrina --- New Orleans, Louisiana, 2005. MMWR. 2006;55(12):332–5.

  51. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tuberculosis control activities before and after Hurricane Sandy — Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States, 2012. MMWR. 2013;62(11):206–8.

  52. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Controlling the spread of infections in evacuation centers: disaster recovery fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2005 [cited 2018 Jun 28]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/disease/infectevac.html

  53. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Natural disasters and severe weather: emergency wound management for healthcare professionals. 2013 [cited 2018 Jun 28]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/emergwoundhcp.html

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jill E. Weatherhead.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shukla, M.A., Woc-Colburn, L. & Weatherhead, J.E. Infectious Diseases in the Aftermath of Hurricanes in the United States. Curr Trop Med Rep 5, 217–223 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-018-0162-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-018-0162-6

Keywords

Navigation