Examining the relationship between infectious diseases and flooding in Europe: A systematic literature review and summary of possible public health interventions

Brown, Lisa; Murray, Virginia

Flooding can have a range of health impacts but this review focused solely on infectious diseases. The diseases most likely to be affected by flooding are those that require a vehicle for transfer from host to host (water-borne) or a host/vector as part of its life cycle (vector-borne). 10 Flood-affected areas serve as ideal breeding grounds for pathogens and may alter vector breeding grounds and zoonotic reservoirs. 11, 12 Where infectious disease transmission is endemic, it can present a major public health concern following flooding. 13 The risk of infectious diseases following flooding is exacerbated by the fact many factors work together to increase incidence. 14 The significance of the association between precipitation and disease is potentially amplified when considering the effects of global climate change and land use changes. Flooding can alter the equilibrium of the environment and may affect the incidence and geographic range of climate-sensitive infectious diseases. A better understanding of the associations and underlying mechanisms of infectious disease outbreaks following flooding will help support evidence-based flood policies and mitigation strategies.