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Epidemics Pest attacks

Sandipan DasguptaRoll No: 10MS12, 4th Year BS/MS

Department of Biological Sciences

Biological Disasters

+A Biological Disaster is…

A form of devastating event caused mainly by pathogenic organisms.

Can kill / incapaciate people/ livestock/ plants.

Caused by: Bacteria –Bacillus anthracis Virus – Small pox virus Toxins – Botulinum toxin Fungi - Smut

Any such potential substance :

BIOHAZARD Symbol for Biohazard

+Common forms

Epidemics

SARS Epidemic oubreak - 2003

Image: Apoorva M, Nature Medicine, 2003

+Common forms

Epidemics

Pest attacks

Crown gall disease caused by Agribacterium tumiefaciens

Image: Kenyon College, OH

+Common forms

Epidemics

Pest attacks

Accidental release

Streptococcal enterotoxin

Image: Arizona State Univeristy, AZ

+Common forms

Epidemics

Pest attacks

Accidental release

Bioterrorism

Anopheles mosquito carrying Plasmodium

Image: Department of Health, State of Michigan

+Common forms

Epidemics

Pest attacks

Accidental release

Bioterrorism Cheap Easy to produce Easy to use

(E.g: Anthrax spores used in WWII)

EM of Bacillus anthracis

Image: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX

+Significance of Biodisasters

Epidemics can cause depletion of people and economic activity. London Plague (1665), Spanish Influenza (1918)

Pest attacks damages crops and hence shapes the evolution of society. Irish famine (1845), Bengal famine (1771-76)

Biological Warfare – Manipulative tools with long term impacts and hard to mitigate. Bubonic plague used by Mongols in Europe

+Epidemics

Introduction of pathogen in susceptible population. Transmission chain. Common source outbreaks.

10 Infection 20 Infection 30 Infection ….

Usually come to halt by:

Immunity(Ex: Viral/bacterial borne: Japanese encephalitis)

Seasonal change(Ex: Vector borne: dengue)

Image: Hartford Univeristy, CT

Casu

alit

y index

Months

+Epidemics – common cues

Greater case load.

Unsual clustering.

Unseasonal.

Closely related pathogens.

Infection in humans after animals

Unusual route.

Unsual age distribution.

Uncommon/Exotic

Increased demand for symptomatic drugs.

Unusual symptoms in travellers.

Epedemiological Medical

+Pest

Organisms detrimental to human concern.

Common usage: For plant pathogens.

IPPC* definition of “Plant Pests”: Any species that is injurious to plant/plant product.

*International Plant Protection Convention

Root knot disease in potato caused by Meloidigyne chitwoodi (Image: U of Nebraska, Lincoln)

Scircophaga in Rice (Image: U of Nebraska, Lincoln)

+Common pests

Image: Crewe pest Control Agency, UK

Rats, rodents, beetles, termites, birds, chipmunks, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitoes, bedbugs, lice etc etc….

Sea gulls

and uncommon ones

+

Vulnerability analysis and Risk assess ment.

Environmental management.

Pick up early signals

Management of Epidemics Health is a state subject.

Primary responsibility of state health dept. and SDMA’s.

MoHFW provides technical, logistic and manpower support.

Components of Biodisaster management: Mobile Hospitlal

vans

Stock pile vaccines and medicines.

Isolation of infected patients

Coordination

Capacity building: R&D Healthcare

Surveillance.

+Management of Microbial Safety Laboratory microbes/microbial toxins: Potential source of infection to lab workers and transmission.

Biological laboratories to be operated with legitimate and justifiable limits.

General Management Plans:

Classify microbes w.r.t risk involved: Gr:1 Low Gr: 2

Moderate Gr: 3 High

Equip the lab according to the risk level: BSL 1 BSL 2 BSL 3 BSL 4

Training.

Surveillance.

Transport

Emergency action plan

+Management of Livestock Disasters Share of agriculture in India’s GDP: 24%

Share of animal husbandry in this: 25%

Potential threats: Natural disasters; Local and exotic diseases.

Consequences: Food scarcity. Economic crisis. Unemployment. Contamination. Loss of biodiversity.

Lump skin disease in cattle(Image: Food and Fertilizer Centre, Taipei)

Common Action Plans: Risk and Vulverability

Assessment. Capacity building. Check fodder poisoning. Vaccination. Disposal of corpses. R&D

+Management of Agridisasters Major threat: Cripples country’s economy and food

security.

Sailent features of agri-pest: High adaptibility, High fecundity, persistant propagation.

Major action plans: Integrated pest surveillance system. Standard Phyto-sanitary measures. Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

IPM focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage by managing the ecosystem.

Guiding principles of IPM: Set Action Thresholds Monitor and Identify Pests Prevention Control (Biological, Physical, Cultural)

+Conclusion

Epidemic and pest attacks are a major concern for India, with over 1.2 billion people and nearly half billion cattle population, with 80 % of people associated with agriculture.

Hard to mitigate as many diseases are contaigious, spread very fast, with mild initial symptoms.

Key: Early detection and assessing the risk of various groups.

Major groups to be involved: WHO MoHFW/ MoAgF NDMA State Health/Veterinary/Agricultual Department SDMA Local People/farmers.

+References National Disaster Management Guidelines: Biological

Disasters : ISBN: 978-81-906483-6-3: July 2008; NDMA

Guidelines for biological disasters: Bihar State Disaster Management Authority.

Livestock Population of India: National Dairy Development Board; July 2012.

SARS epidemic unmasks age-old quarantine conundrum, Approrva M, Nature Medicine, 2003

AcknowledgementDr. Sutapa Bose, Department of Earth Sciences, IISER Kolkata

Thank You