Biological Hazards

-pervasive influx of insects or parasites affecting humans, animals, crops and materials

-infectious diseases

Locust invasion in Senegal (2004)

Infectious diseases

H1N1 (Swine Flu) HIV/AIDS Cholera Dengue fever River blindness Malaria Tuberculosis H5N1 (Avian Flu)

The World's Most Destructive Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (2009)

Lower respiratory tract infections Diarrheal diseases HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis Malaria

Lower respiratory infections

Deaths/year: 4.2 Million Affect the trachea, lungs and bronchi Cases of pneumonia make up the vast

majority of debilitating lower respiratory infections.

Diarrheal diseases

Deaths/Year: 2.2 million Most commonly caused by gastrointestinal

infections, result in loose stool and can cause dehydration and sometimes death.

Cholera and dysentery are both common diarrheal diseases.

HIV/AIDS

Deaths/Year: 2 million AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency

syndrome, is a life-threatening, infectious disease caused by HIV, a retrovirus that attacks the body's immune system and impairs its ability to fight disease.

Tuberculosis

Deaths/Year: 1.5 million A chronic bacterial infection that spreads

through the air and primarily affects the lungs.

If not treated properly, tuberculosis can affect other organs and lead to death.

Malaria

Deaths/Year: 890,000 A parasitic disease transmitted between

humans by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito.

The disease causes flu-like symptoms and attacks of fever and chills.

Classifying Disease Disasters

EpidemicPandemicEndemic

Epidemic

– A widespread disease that affects many individuals in a population and the number affected is rapidly increasingSARS epidemic (2002-2003)

Pandemic

When an epidemic occurs across the globe

HIV/AIDSH1N1

Endemic

– Diseases that occur at a constant but relatively high rate in the populationMalaria in many African countries

“One place for disease to hide is among the poor, especially when the poor are socially and medically segregated from those whose deaths might be considered more important”

-Dr. Paul Farmer

MDC – infectious diseases pose small riskLDC and LLDC – cause a high number of deaths

WHY?– Poor sanitation– Unsafe drinking water– Poor access to health care (hospitals,

doctors/nurses, medicine, vaccinations)– Lack of health education

Works Cited

“Disaster Management”. IFRC. 2009. Online. Sept. 27, 2009.

http://www.ifrc.org/WHAT/disasters/about/types/biological/insects.asp#dc

“Infectious Diseases”. Fitnessgates. 2005. Online. Sept. 29, 2009.

http://www.fitnessgates.com/inf.htm

“The World’s Most Destructive Diseases”. The Online Newshour. March, 2009. Online. Sept. 27, 2009. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/globalhealth/diseases/