Frequency of Gastroenteritis during the First Month after Barn Earthquake in 2004

Iran is a country with frequent earthquakes. More than 90% of Barn was destroyed with nearly 35000 casulties in a recent earthquake with 6.8 degrees in Riechter scale. Disaster can cause outbreak of infectious diseases and gastroenteritis. Material and Methods. This evaluation was done one rnonth after earthquake of Barn city in Iran. This is a descriptive study in ternporary health center of Barn.

Frequency of diarrhea was 738 cases (82 per 10/000 person). Watery diarrhea was seen in 676 cases and bloody diarrhea in 62 cases, too. Cholera infection was not seen in Barn earthquake. During this study rnicrobiology diagnosis was not done for patients with diarrhea.

preparing safe water supply irnrnediately after disaster and should set up portable laboratories in order for rapid detection of infectious diseases for future disasters.