Download Biological Hazards

Biological Hazards
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-pervasive influx of insects or parasites affecting
humans, animals, crops and materials
-infectious diseases
Locust invasion in Senegal (2004)
Infectious diseases
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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)
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Lower respiratory tract infections
Diarrheal diseases
HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis
Malaria
Lower respiratory infections
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Epidemic
 Pandemic
 Endemic
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Epidemic
– A widespread
disease that
affects many individuals in a
population and the number
affected is rapidly increasing
SARS
epidemic (2002-2003)
Pandemic
 When
an epidemic occurs across
the globe
HIV/AIDS
H1N1
Endemic
– Diseases
that occur at a constant
but relatively high rate in the
population
Malaria
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
risk
LDC and LLDC – cause a high number
of deaths
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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/