Takahisa Kawano1, Kohei Hasegawa2, Hiroko Watase3, Hiroshi Morita1, Osamu Yamamura4. 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan. 2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Japanese Emergency Medicine Network, Fukui, Japan. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, Community Health Care Promotion, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the World Health Organization cautioned that evacuees at shelters would be at increased risk of infectious disease transmission; however, the frequency that occurred in this population was not known. METHODS: We reviewed medical charts of evacuees who visited medical clinics at 6 shelters from March 19, to April 8, 2011. Excluded were patients who did not reside within the shelters or whose medical records lacked a name or date. We investigated the frequency of and cumulative incidences of acute respiratory infection [ARI], acute gastroenteritis, acute jaundice syndrome, scabies, measles, pertussis, and tetanus. RESULTS: Of 1364 patients who visited 6 shelter clinics, 1167 patients (86.1%) were eligible for the study. The median total number of evacuees was 2545 (interquartile range [IQR], 2277-3009). ARI was the most common infectious disease; the median number of patients with ARI was 168.8 per week per 1000 evacuees (IQR, 64.5-186.1). Acute gastroenteritis was the second most common; the median number of patients was 23.7 per week per 1000 evacuees (IQR, 5.1-24.3). No other infectious diseases were observed. The median cumulative incidence of ARI per 1000 evacuees in each shelter was 13.1 person-days (IQR, 8.5-18.8). The median cumulative incidence of gastroenteritis was 1.6 person-days (IQR, 0.3-3.4). CONCLUSION: After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami, outbreaks of ARI and acute gastroenteritis occurred in evacuation shelters.
OBJECTIVE: After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the World Health Organization cautioned that evacuees at shelters would be at increased risk of infectious disease transmission; however, the frequency that occurred in this population was not known. METHODS: We reviewed medical charts of evacuees who visited medical clinics at 6 shelters from March 19, to April 8, 2011. Excluded were patients who did not reside within the shelters or whose medical records lacked a name or date. We investigated the frequency of and cumulative incidences of acute respiratory infection [ARI], acute gastroenteritis, acute jaundice syndrome, scabies, measles, pertussis, and tetanus. RESULTS: Of 1364 patients who visited 6 shelter clinics, 1167 patients (86.1%) were eligible for the study. The median total number of evacuees was 2545 (interquartile range [IQR], 2277-3009). ARI was the most common infectious disease; the median number of patients with ARI was 168.8 per week per 1000 evacuees (IQR, 64.5-186.1). Acute gastroenteritis was the second most common; the median number of patients was 23.7 per week per 1000 evacuees (IQR, 5.1-24.3). No other infectious diseases were observed. The median cumulative incidence of ARI per 1000 evacuees in each shelter was 13.1 person-days (IQR, 8.5-18.8). The median cumulative incidence of gastroenteritis was 1.6 person-days (IQR, 0.3-3.4). CONCLUSION: After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami, outbreaks of ARI and acute gastroenteritis occurred in evacuation shelters.
Authors: Francesco D'Aloisio; Pierpaolo Vittorini; Anna Rita Giuliani; Maria Scatigna; Jacopo Del Papa; Mario Muselli; Giorgio Baccari; Leila Fabiani Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-06-14 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Maria Mavrouli; Spyridon Mavroulis; Efthymios Lekkas; Athanassios Tsakris Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-06 Impact factor: 3.390