Infectious Diseases after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

A catastrophic earthquake occurred off the Pacific coast of Japan on 11 March 2011, striking the northeastern part of the country. The earthquake was followed by huge tsunamis, which destroyed many coastal cities and towns. Many displaced people moved into shelters or temporary homes supplied by the government, not only because of disruptions to community utility services but also because of health risks associated with nuclear power plant malfunctions in Fukushima. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of illnesses that occurred in the aftermath of this earthquake, including respiratory tract infection (tsunami-related aspiration pneumonia, legionellosis and influenza), wound infection (tetanus) and other infections (food poisoning, tsutsugamushi disease and measles). Our review also outlines several activities concerning the management of illnesses and infection control.

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