The dangers of flood water to exposed skin: infections, cholera and human tissue damage follow in the wake of storms
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Hurricanes and tropical cyclones exacerbate the spread of infectious diseases due to flooding and the destruction of infrastructure.
With rising ocean temperatures expected to intensify storms, understanding the connection between tropical cyclones and disease is increasingly critical for public health.
BBC.com recently reported that recent hurricanes, including Helene and Milton, have led to a surge in infections like Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria thriving in warm floodwaters, which can cause severe tissue damage and in worst carse lead to amputations. The public is warned to minimize skin exposure to flooded areas as much as possible due the risk of infections.
Hurricanes also contribute to gastrointestinal illnesses by overwhelming sewage systems, contaminating water supplies with human and animal waste, and spreading pathogens like cholera and typhoid. Storm surges, often raising water levels by several meters, enable pathogens to travel vast distances.
Post flood contamination levels similar to the pathogens found in extremely poor areas
The storms, and the subsequent flooding they bring, expose people to diseases often linked to extreme poverty. For instance, hurricanes have caused outbreaks of cholera in the American coastal south. A 2023 study highlighted typhoons in Taiwan leading to a surge in intestinal diseases, some of which progressed to sepsis.
Other studies show similar indications.
Over the past seven years, Naresh Kumar and his team at the University of Miami have been collecting data on hurricanes, including Maria (2017), Irma, Ian, Michael, Dorian, and the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Floods destroy sewer systems and brings animal waste to the drinking water supplies
Researchers like Naresh Kumar at the University of Miami are studying how these storms fuel outbreaks, focusing on diseases rather than structural damage.
Naresh Kumar explains that the problem occurs extreme storms displace vast amounts of water, with storm surges raising levels by up to 6 meters (19.7 feet). This flooding overwhelms or destroys sewage systems and introduces animal waste from farms into the water supply. Once pathogens enter rivers, they can spread hundreds of miles downstream, amplifying the risk of disease transmission.
According to Kumar, a certain amount of microbial contamination happens via these routes even through ordinary rainfall.
"There's a programme in Florida called Healthy Beaches which shows that the concentrations of bacteria found in human waste jumps whenever there's a significant amount of rain."
Tetanus in the wake of the 2014 Tsunami
According to NIH, the National Library of Medicine, an outbreak involving 106 cases of tetanus was reported a month after the 2014 Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia, where population tetanus immunization status was suboptimal at baseline.
This issue also came to light in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida with winds of up to 225 km/h (140 mph) and caused severe flooding and landslides in western North Carolina. In early October, Florida health authorities warned of a potential spike in Vibrio Vulnificus infections, urging residents to avoid contact with floodwaters.
Worst Case Scenario: Vibrio infections leading to amputations
Vibrio Vulnificus is a type of bacteria that thrives in warm waters. It can cause severe tissue damage and, in some cases, amputations. So far in 2024, there have been 77 reported cases and 15 deaths, marking the highest number in a decade. However, it remains unclear how many of these cases were linked to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Similar spikes in infections were observed after Hurricane Ian in 2022.
“Hurricanes usually occur when water temperatures are at their warmest, creating ideal conditions for Vibrio,” explains John Drake, director of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia.
“Flooding during hurricanes can push Vibrio further inland, significantly increasing human exposure to contaminated water.”
Florida has reported 77 cases and 15 deaths from Vibrio in 2024, marking the highest numbers in a decade. Such outbreaks often follow storm surges that redistribute pathogens inland and increase human exposure to contaminated water.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons License
The Delaware Army National Guard in the United States provide flood rescue support in Wilmington, Sept. 2, 2021 alongside local fire departments and police to assist community members who were stranded after heavy rains drenched the area and covered the roads with standing water.
Date: 26 May 2016, 05:59:43
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenationalguard/51433802284/
Author: The National Guard. (Army National Guard photos by Spc. Alyssa Lisenbe)