Outbreaks of Vector-borne Infectious Disease Following a Natural Disaster

Abstract

Introduction Over the past century, global disaster deaths have averaged approximately 45,000 people annually. Vector-borne pathogens are susceptible to climatic conditions influencing vector survival, gonotrophic cycle, and transmission efficiency in human hosts. However, the literature has not collectively analyzed the relationship between natural disasters and vector-borne disease (VBD) outbreaks over decades. Objective This literature review identifies and examines published papers documenting VBD outbreaks associated with natural disasters. Additionally, information was gathered about the kinds of natural disasters commonly associated with VBD outbreaks and which diseases typically occur post- disasters. Methods A literature review was performed using two search strategies with terms for natural disasters and vector-borne infectious diseases as identified in the title, keywords, or abstract. Observational studies and systematic review papers were screened on the occurrence of a VBD post-disaster. Results A total of 30 studies were captured. Eight disaster types were captured: flood, hurricane, tropical cyclone, typhoon, tsunami, drought, monsoon, and earthquake. Floods (n=21), hurricanes (n=20), tsunamis (n=8), and drought (n=8) account for the top four disaster events commonly associated with VBDs. Of the VBDs identified, malaria outbreaks were identified in 16 papers, while dengue outbreaks were captured in 11. Conclusion The literature reveals a predominance of floods, malaria and dengue. While there is increasing acknowledgment that disasters can lead to outbreaks of VBDs, there is limited research and consistent data available. Future research should rely on well-defined, consistent case detection and enrollment procedures, preferably at various lag periods following a disaster event.