Which microorganisms does the Smith and Casadevall paper identify as primary concerns in disaster microbiology?

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Last updated: October 15, 2026 • View editorial policy

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Recommendation

Fungi and bacteria, particularly in flood and earthquake environments. 1

  • Rationale:

    • The Smith and Casadevall “Disaster Microbiology” paper (mBio, 2022) highlights post-disaster shifts in microbial ecology with clinical concern focused on bacteria and fungi in settings like floods and earthquakes, linking these to human disease risk and outcomes (morbidity, mortality, QOL) 1.
    • Flood-focused research corroborates clinically relevant bacterial risks (e.g., Leptospira spp.) and broader pathogen/ARG mobilization after floods, aligning with the bacteria-and-fungi emphasis rather than viruses-only or vector-only framings 2.

  • Pitfalls to avoid:

    • Do not restrict concern to “antibiotic-resistant bacteria only” or “only vector-borne pathogens”; the paper frames a wider bacterial and fungal hazard space tied to environmental disruption 1.
    • “Viruses that cause respiratory infections” are not singled out as the primary concern in disaster microbiology in this paper 1.

References

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