This is by no means comprehensive, but does address major poultry and swine diseases. The risk to humans from animal carcasses is low if proper precautions are taken. It should be noted that is very unlikely that any of these diseases will be a problem in eastern North Carolina following the flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd. As with any potential disease, using common sense is the best preventative. After Hurricane Floyd and its severe flooding, county and city water systems may become contaminated.
Power outages are responsible for loss of refrigeration.
Clinicians need to be vigilant for a possible increase of diarrhea among their patients. Poultry carcasses and feces that may contaminate water supplies in certain areas can contain Campylobacter jejuni and salmonella. It is important to identify and control outbreaks of infectious diarrhea in a timely and effective manner. Most diarrheal infections caused by bacterial pathogens have incubation periods between one and seven days. These infections are seen within a few days of the ingestion of contaminated food or water.