Author:

• Telma Abdalla de Oliveira Cardoso - Cardoso, TAO - Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) / Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (Ensp), Núcleo de Biossegurança - <abdalla@fiocruz.br>

Co-author(s):

• Duarte Nuno Vieira - Vieira, D.N. - Universidade de Coimbra, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses - <dnvieira@inml.mj.pt>

Thematic Area:

Saúde e Trabalho

Abstract:

There were 2,628 natural disasters in the world during 2005-2010, that caused 712,552 deaths, and affected 1 billion people. In Brazil, floods, landslides, droughts and windstorms resulted in an average of 6,000 deaths and economic losses valued at US$10 billion. After disasters, the lack of information on how to handle corpses leads the professionals involved in emergency care to uncertainty about the risks and safe precautions. Objectives: Determine the risks of the etiologic agents involved in brazilian mortality by infectious diseases; discuss the main protection measures required involved in corpse handling in disaster situations. Methodology: Survey of deaths by infectious diseases in Brazil, 2005/2010, using data from the Mortality Information System. Results: From the 171,223 deaths analyzed, the pathogens leading to the greatest number of deaths were: HIV, M. tuberculosis and T. cruzi. 59% belonged to risk group 3 and 40.6% to group 2. Eight deaths caused by group 4 pathogens, which represent high risk. Conclusion: The professionals involved in corpse handling may be exposed to chronic risks, such as viruses transmitted by blood, gastrointestinal infections and tuberculosis. These findings further support the value of investment in establishment of measures to reduce the risk of infection associated with corpse handling.

Keywords:

corpse disasters risk exposure to biological agents public health.

Content:

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