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My state’s most prevalent environmental hazards are natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, which are common in certain regions, especially in Florida. These can lead to injuries, mental health issues, and diseases related to poor sanitation and water quality. In Florida, specifically, hurricanes and flooding are particularly prevalent. These natural disasters can exacerbate the spread of waterborne diseases and lead to long-term mental health impacts due to the stress and trauma associated with such events. Another environmental hazard affecting the city where I am currently based is “red tide”; according to the National Oceanic and Administration (n.d), red tide is caused by Karenia brevis, a type of algae that produces potent neurotoxins. The toxins can be suspended in the air near beaches and cause human respiratory illness. They can also accumulate in shellfish and cause Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning in humans, so affected states closely monitor shellfish and may close harvesting for some time to protect public health. Blooms also discolor the water and cause widespread mortality of fish, turtles, birds, and marine mammals.

Hurricanes and floods can significantly impact morbidity and mortality in Florida, and the effects ripple through both immediate and longer-term health outcomes. Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Florida’s southwest coast as a category four hurricane, had a profound impact. The storm surge reached 12â€“18 feet (3.6â€“5.5 meters) above ground level in some coastal areas of Lee and Collier counties. In the aftermath of the hurricane, there was a notable increase in vibriosis cases. The Florida Department of Health reported 38 cases and 11 vibriosis-associated deaths attributed to the storm. Vibrio vulnificus, a virulent gram-negative bacterium, thrives in warm, salty, or brackish waters, precisely the conditions created by a storm surge. People can contract vibriosis by consuming raw or undercooked shellfish or skin exposure to saltwater or brackish water. The case fatality rate for these vibriosis cases was 28.9%, which might be related to the age of many of the patients (Sodders et al., 2022).

Several aspects of environmental hazards, such as hurricanes, could support a causal pathway or relationship with red tide events: Hurricanes bring heavy rainfall, leading to significant runoff from land into the ocean (The Ocean the National Oceanic and Administration, n.d). This runoff often carries nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural areas, urban landscapes, and sewage systems into coastal waters. These nutrients can fuel the growth of red tide algae (Karenia brevis). The strong winds and waves caused by hurricanes mix the water column and bring nutrient-rich deep water to the surface. This upwelling can provide additional nutrients that support red tide blooms. The physical action of waves and currents during a hurricane can break up red tide blooms, dispersing the algae. However, this can also release toxins into the water and air, causing different environmental and health issues.

References

The Ocean the National Oceanic and Administration. (n.d). Gulf of Mexico/Florida: Harmful Algal Blooms. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/gulf-mexico.htmlLinks to an external site.

Sodders, N., Stockdale, K., Baker, K., Ghanem, A., Vieth, B., & Harder, T. ( 2022).Notes from the Field: Vibriosis Cases Associated with Flood Waters During and After Hurricane Ian â€” Florida. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023; 72:497â€“498. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7218a5

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