Epidemic prevention after devastating earthquake is a long-lasting task and should be based on scientific evidences
10.3724/SP.J.1008.2008.00720
- Author:
Guang-Wen CAO
1
Author Information
1. No. 2 Epidemic Prevention Team for Earthquake Rescue
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Disease outbreaks;
Earthquake;
Ecology;
Health education;
Prevention and control
- From:
Academic Journal of Second Military Medical University
2010;29(7):720-724
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Epidemic of infectious diseases after devastating earthquakes is affected by various factors, including the damage of infrastructure, geographic and climate condition as well as human activity. Pollution of water resources, increase of biological vectors, poor sanitation condition as well as the local or introduced pathogens are the major risk factors for food- or water-borne diseases, vector-borne diseases and air-borne diseases after the earthquake. Prevention and control of infectious diseases in the disaster area should focus on the source of infection, transmission pathway and susceptible population. Meanwhile, attention should be paid on ecological deterioration caused by excessive use of insecticides and disinfectants. Health education to the disaster refugees and rebuilding of local public health infrastructure are the keys for the consistency of epidemic prevention. This article analyzes some possible problems concerning epidemic prevention after the devastating earthquake and proposes 10 suggestions for disease control and prevention during the later-period of epidemic prevention.
