TcMedicine

Tsunami Health Effects and Treatments

Soft tissue and musculoskeletal infections are more common than respiratory tract infections among survivors of the tsunami.

Of an analysis of 30 patients who had been hospitalized, researchers at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, in Thailand, found 27 patients had soft tissue and musculoskeletal infections (90 percent), 10 people had respiratory tract infections (33 percent), 10 patients had polymicrobial Gram-negative infections, and 6 people had multiple sites of infection (20 percent).

The average hospital stay was 4 days. The most effective treatments for infectious complications related to submersion injuries from seawater are beta-lactam antibiotics or fluoroquinolones and removing foreign material via surgical debridement and endoscopy.

CHEST 2005 abstract highlights

Jennifer Stawarz
jstawarz@chestnet.org
American College of Chest Physicians
chestnet.org