Myths about infectious potential of victims who have died, by: John M McNamara, MD, MPH, MS

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(Free-Press-Release.com) March 11, 2010 -- Myths about infectious potential of victims who have died

By: John M McNamara, MD, MPH, MS

Dealing with fatalities can be a challenging issue. There are cultural and aesthetic issues. There are also myths about risks from human remains. Danger to living survivors from victims who have died is unlikely (WHO) World Health Organization. However, it is best to minimize contact with survivors Another issue to keep in mind is that most fatalities in an earthquake died from trauma not from a disease. There is some increased risk of disease exposure to rescue workers who handle decedents. Those who work with decedents should wear disposable gloves, surgical masks, and also Hepatitis B vaccine and consider disinfecting equipment such as liters. Hand washing stations-even if very basic should include soap, disinfectants. There is also possibility of training military units to assist.

Unplanned disposal of the dead into mass graves can lead to significant problems with identification. Proper burial procedures should be followed.

It is the living who spread disease rather than the dead. Measles and diarrhea type diseases can be very dangerous in displaced person populations There can be many causes of diarrhea-bacterial, viral and parasitic. But all such disease can cause life threatening dehydration where clean water is scarce especially in children.

There is great danger from diarrhea and dehydration. Oral rehydration packets(ORS- also called ORT) should accompany education so that, for example, people do not believe it is a way to purify water. ORS packets should be used only in disinfected water.

Two diseases that are often feared are cholera and typhoid due to possible poor sanitation in aftermath of a disaster. If these diseases are endemic to the area— existed prior to the event and cause disease in the population, then special attention must be paid to disease surveillance but vaccines for typhoid and cholera are not as effective in the short term aftermath of a disaster.

Read the entire article: http://blog.c4sem.org/2010/03/11/myths-about-infectious-potential-of-victims-who-have-died-by-john-m-mcnamara-md-mph-ms.aspx

By: John M McNamara, MD, MPH, MS
www.c4sem.org