Harvey left behind health threats for Houston-area residents
The longestlasting impact of the hurricane turned tropical storm is the public health threat.
From the bacteria, viruses and fungi harbored in floodwaters to new breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes to a potentially staggering mental health toll inflicted on those hardest hit by Harvey, the risks are expected to be great.
To get a better sense of the public health problems that may lie ahead, the Chronicle interviewed a number of public health experts. Here’s what we learned:
What germs were in those floodwaters?
E. coli, which can cause gastrointestinal distress. A Texas A&M University team reported finding dangerous levels in samples collected from Cypress. Other pathogens found in floodwaters include Shigella, which, like E. coli, causes gastrointestinal illness; and Legionella, the cause of Legionnaires’ disease and that requires treatment with antibiotics.
The most dangerous is vibrio vulnificus, the so-called flesh-eating bacteria. Dr. A. Scott Lea, infectious-disease professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, said he expects the Houston area will see some post-Harvey cases, though mostly along the Gulf Coast. Lea says to get to a physician or emergency room within 24 hours if you suspect you have the potentially life-threatening infection, which is characterized by terrible pain and large blisters.
How about contaminants?
Floodwaters are rife with sewage and chemicals. The former include fecal matter from animals and humans and all manner of debris. The latter can include benzene, dioxins, lead and arsenic from Superfund sites but also pesticides and toxic cleaning fluids from the cabinets of flooded homes.
Do you need a tetanus shot if you spent any time in floodwaters?
You only need a tetanus shot — ASAP — if you exposed an open wound to floodwaters. Of course, unless you’ve had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years, you probably need a booster shot, but there’s no rush, particularly given the stresses Harvey will put on the health-care system.
What’s the threat after floodwaters have receded?
Mold carries serious public health risks, especially for people with existing allergies and asthma. Two months after Hurricane Katrina, Centers for Disease Control investigators found mold in the walls of half of 112 water-damaged homes.
Is our drinking water safe?
Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston health department say the water is safe, but Lea says people in smaller communities with different water supplies should be careful, that it’s not known if they were breached. He suggests people in such communities drink boiled or bottled water to be safe. City officials strongly recommend against private wells — used by hundreds of thousands of people in the counties affected by Harvey — and say they don’t take responsibility for it.
When do the mosquitoes come?
Baylor College of Medicine tropical medicine specialist Dr. Peter Hotez says the floodwaters likely swept away many breeding sites and should cause a decrease in mosquito activity in the short run. But he says there likely will be a sharp increase after floodwaters recede and new breeding sites pop up. He said it’s possible the spike might be reflected next year, too, given there’s only another 1½ months in Houston’s mosquito season.
What are public health threats you might not expect?
Injuries. Post-disaster studies show that most occur in the weeks after the event. These include back injuries from lifting heavy, wet items, such as mattresses or sofas. Carbon monoxide poisoning from running portable generators in the house. Electrocution from plugging into outlets before they’ve been evaluated by an electrician. Puncture wounds. Animal bites. Heat stress.
“People want to get home and restore their lives,” said Robert Emery, vice president for safety at UT Health Science Center at Houston. “That zeal is where they get injured. Pause and make sure you’re within your capabilities, thinking things through.”
What are the signs you or your loved one might benefit from psychiatric help?
Most people affected by Harvey flooding will experience some sort of distress, which is normal and expected, said Dr. Jeff Temple, a UTMB psychologist. But those who worry excessively, experience difficulty sleeping or loss of appetite, develop rapid heart rates or sweating are at risk of posttraumatic stress disorder and should seek help, Temple said.
He said the risk is greatest among those who’ve experienced prior trauma, lack social support and were hardest hit — they had to be evacuated, witnessed tragedy or feared for their life. Studies show PTSD occurs in about 20 percent of people affected by natural disasters, Temple said.