ICAAC postponed and relocated to D.C. following Hurricane Katrina

September 2005

The 45th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) has been postponed after Hurricane Katrina left host city New Orleans a flooded site of devastation late last month.

The conference will be held Dec. 16 to 19, 2005, at the Washington D.C. Convention Center. Registration will automatically transfer for the conference. Housing procedures for the new location will be communicated to attendees once the hotels and rates are confirmed, according to the ICAAC Web site.

Infectious threats

Many health experts are worried New Orleans will become a breeding ground for a variety of serious health problems.

“This is very much like a public health emergency in a developing country. There is a broad range of problems to be dealt with,” said James M. Hughes, MD, an Infectious Disease News editorial board member. “There are many displaced people and an appropriate response has to start with an evaluation of the current conditions in the local area.”

Food, water and vector-borne infectious diseases and the possibility of human-to-human transmission of other illnesses caused by poor hygiene are major concerns, said Hughes, who is director of the Program in Global Infectious Diseases and associate director of the Southeastern Center for Emerging Biological Threats at Emory University School of Medicine and director of the Center for Global Safe Water at Rollins School of Public Health, both in Atlanta.

Infections that threaten the region due to untreated sewage overflow and contaminated drinking water include Norovirus gastroenteritis, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, Shigella and hepatitis A. Fecal contamination from the disruption of the sewage systems increases disease risk.

West Nile virus poses a threat, but in the hurricane-ravaged area, there are mosquitoes capable of transmitting malaria and dengue as well, he said.

“With all the standing water that is around now, and will be around in some places for quite some time, there certainly is increased risk for transmission of vector-borne diseases,” he said.

Floating debris that can inflict wounds also pose a health threat. People with wounds should be evaluated for tetanus immunization history, Hughes said. Those inadequately immunized need a tetanus booster.

The lack of power and ability of hospital personnel to arrive to work and damaged facilities and products will adversely affect the capacity of hospitals and other health care facilities to treat trauma-related injuries and patients in the aftermath of the storm, Hughes said. Mental health issues will also need to be evaluated.

“There are adverse impacts on health care facilities and patient care throughout the affected areas. This experience highlights the need to institute public health surveillance in the impacted areas as rapidly as possible so disease patterns and emerging problems can be rapidly identified,” Hughes said.

For conference updates, visit the ICAAC Web site at www.icaac.org.