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Dermatosis in Conflict Zones and Disaster Areas

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Dermatology in Public Health Environments

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Abstract

Skin diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity in conflict zones and disaster areas and are usually attributed to overcrowding, high population density in rudimentary shelters or camps, famine, inadequate safe water and sanitation, and poor vaccination status among victims. Despite the secondary role of a dermatologist in the course of an emergency, the increasing number of modern armed conflicts and natural disasters emphasizes the importance of keeping dermatologists throughout the world aware of potential risks and imminent skin damage in such circumstances. In areas with no access to dermatologic care because of distance or simple manpower, teledermatology works as an ideal solution to reach the underserved. However, many factors such as cost, lack of access to modern communication, limited human medical resources, and underdeveloped infrastructure serve as major obstacles to its widespread use.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatologist, Vicenza, Italy

    Rosana Buffon

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  1. Rosana Buffon
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Correspondence to Rosana Buffon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Service of Clinical, Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo

  2. Health Secretary of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Sergio Ivan Torres Dornelles

Glossary

Airborne

Transported by air.

Case-fatality rates (CFR)

A measure of the severity of a disease, defined as the proportion of reported cases of a specified disease or condition which are fatal within a specified time.

Foodborne

(Of a disease) carried by or transmitted through contaminated food.

Glossitis

Inflammation of the tongue. Glossitis is often caused by nutritional deficiencies and may be painless or cause discomfort

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders

An international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from healthcare.

Vectorborne

(Of a disease) transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies, and blackflies.

Waterborne

(Of a disease) transported or transmitted by water.

Xerophthalmia

Abnormal dryness and thickening of the conjunctiva and cornea caused by vitamin A deficiency

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Buffon, R. (2018). Dermatosis in Conflict Zones and Disaster Areas. In: Bonamigo, R., Dornelles, S. (eds) Dermatology in Public Health Environments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33919-1_51

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33919-1_51

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