Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales
OBJECTIVE: To review existing literature to assess the risks of infection from dead bodies after a natural disaster occurs, including who is most at risk, what precautions should be taken, and how to safely dispose of the bodies. METHODS: Disease transmission requires the presence of an infectious a...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:0588f39135834ff7bd70c00d1ccc4f89 2023-05-15T15:17:32+02:00 Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales Oliver Morgan 2004-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/0588f39135834ff7bd70c00d1ccc4f89 EN ES PT eng spa por Pan American Health Organization http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892004000500004 https://doaj.org/toc/1020-4989 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-5348 1020-4989 1680-5348 https://doaj.org/article/0588f39135834ff7bd70c00d1ccc4f89 Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, Vol 15, Iss 5, Pp 307-312 (2004) Natural disasters disaster planning cadaver disease outbreaks guidelines Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 article 2004 ftdoajarticles 2022-12-30T23:28:46Z OBJECTIVE: To review existing literature to assess the risks of infection from dead bodies after a natural disaster occurs, including who is most at risk, what precautions should be taken, and how to safely dispose of the bodies. METHODS: Disease transmission requires the presence of an infectious agent, exposure to that agent, and a susceptible host. These elements were considered to characterize the infectious disease risk from dead bodies. Using the PubMed on-line databases of the National Library of Medicine of the United States of America, searching was done for relevant literature on the infection risks for public safety workers and funeral workers as well as for guidelines for the management of the dead and prevention of infection. A small but significant literature was also reviewed regarding the disposal of the dead and the contamination of groundwater by cemeteries. RESULTS: Victims of natural disasters usually die from trauma and are unlikely to have acute or "epidemic-causing" infections. This indicates that the risk that dead bodies pose for the public is extremely small. However, persons who are involved in close contact with the dead-such as military personnel, rescue workers, volunteers, and others-may be exposed to chronic infectious hazards, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV, enteric pathogens, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Suitable precautions for these persons include training, use of body bags and disposable gloves, good hygiene practice, and vaccination for hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Disposal of bodies should respect local custom and practice where possible. When there are large numbers of victims, burial is likely to be the most appropriate method of disposal. There is little evidence of microbiological contamination of groundwater from burial. CONCLUSIONS: Concern that dead bodies are infectious can be considered a "natural" reaction by persons wanting to protect themselves from disease. However, clear information about the risks is needed so that responsible local ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English Spanish Portuguese |
topic |
Natural disasters disaster planning cadaver disease outbreaks guidelines Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
spellingShingle |
Natural disasters disaster planning cadaver disease outbreaks guidelines Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Oliver Morgan Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
topic_facet |
Natural disasters disaster planning cadaver disease outbreaks guidelines Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
description |
OBJECTIVE: To review existing literature to assess the risks of infection from dead bodies after a natural disaster occurs, including who is most at risk, what precautions should be taken, and how to safely dispose of the bodies. METHODS: Disease transmission requires the presence of an infectious agent, exposure to that agent, and a susceptible host. These elements were considered to characterize the infectious disease risk from dead bodies. Using the PubMed on-line databases of the National Library of Medicine of the United States of America, searching was done for relevant literature on the infection risks for public safety workers and funeral workers as well as for guidelines for the management of the dead and prevention of infection. A small but significant literature was also reviewed regarding the disposal of the dead and the contamination of groundwater by cemeteries. RESULTS: Victims of natural disasters usually die from trauma and are unlikely to have acute or "epidemic-causing" infections. This indicates that the risk that dead bodies pose for the public is extremely small. However, persons who are involved in close contact with the dead-such as military personnel, rescue workers, volunteers, and others-may be exposed to chronic infectious hazards, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV, enteric pathogens, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Suitable precautions for these persons include training, use of body bags and disposable gloves, good hygiene practice, and vaccination for hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Disposal of bodies should respect local custom and practice where possible. When there are large numbers of victims, burial is likely to be the most appropriate method of disposal. There is little evidence of microbiological contamination of groundwater from burial. CONCLUSIONS: Concern that dead bodies are infectious can be considered a "natural" reaction by persons wanting to protect themselves from disease. However, clear information about the risks is needed so that responsible local ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Oliver Morgan |
author_facet |
Oliver Morgan |
author_sort |
Oliver Morgan |
title |
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
title_short |
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
title_full |
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
title_fullStr |
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters Riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
title_sort |
infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas por contacto con cadáveres después de desastres naturales |
publisher |
Pan American Health Organization |
publishDate |
2004 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/0588f39135834ff7bd70c00d1ccc4f89 |
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Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, Vol 15, Iss 5, Pp 307-312 (2004) |
op_relation |
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892004000500004 https://doaj.org/toc/1020-4989 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-5348 1020-4989 1680-5348 https://doaj.org/article/0588f39135834ff7bd70c00d1ccc4f89 |
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