@article{ref1,
title="Negligible risk for epidemics after geophysical disasters",
journal="Emerging infectious diseases",
year="2006",
author="Floret, Nathalie and Viel, Jean-Francois and Mauny, Frederic and Hoen, Bruno and Piarroux, Renaud",
volume="12",
number="4",
pages="543-548",
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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1080-6040",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}