Tropical Diseases in Haiti
Below, you will find information regarding the different Tropical Diseases one may encounter in Haiti and the various ways each are treated.
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Worms in Haiti Intestinal parasites infect more than a third of the global population. The highest infection rates occur amongst school aged children. The transmission typically occurs through soil, vegetation, food and water contaminated by parasite eggs. read more… |
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Diarrhea in Haiti Diarrhea is defined as the passage of 3 loose stools within 24 hours. It is a leading cause of child mortality in the developing world. The approach to acute diarrhea (i.e. less than 14 days) will be discussed below. National surveillance data in Haiti regarding specific diarrheal pathogens is not available. read more… |
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Tuberculosis in Haiti This article is designed to introduce the health care practitioner to the diagnosis and treatment of TB in Haiti based on available resources at Hôpital Sacré Coeur and according to Haitian national TB standards. Drug resistant TB is not covered. read more… |
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HIV in Haiti This article is designed to introduce the health care practitioner to the diagnosis and treatment of HIV in Haiti based on available resources at Hôpital Sacré Coeur (HSC) and according to Haitian national HIV standards. read more… |
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Leptospirosis in Haiti Leptospirosis is known to be endemic in Haiti. The Haitian System of Sanitary Information reported between 6,500 and 11,000 cases of febrile jaundice annually between 2005 and 2008. More than 12,700 cases were reported between January and June 2009. read more… |
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Dengue in Haiti Dengue fever is a mosquito borne viral illness. It typically results in a nonspecific febrile illness associated with severe myalgias (muscle pain). In 2001, Scott Halstead published the most important study on dengue fever in Haiti to date1. He studies dengue transmission rates amongst 210 school children in Port au Prince. read more… |
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Anthrax in Haiti Cutaneous anthrax is endemic in Haiti. Colloquially known as “malcharbon” (or “sick charcoal,”) this disease has been responsible for multiple regional outbreaks in Haiti. An outbreak of cutaneous and systemic disease involving > 100 cases and >12 deaths occurred in La Brillere in 1996. read more… |
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Cholera in Haiti Disease specific discussions (HIV, TB, malaria etc) often dominate the attention and funding of the global health community. However, the pivotal role of sanitation was made clear by the recent cholera epidemic in Haiti. read more… |
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Rabies in Haiti For decades, Haiti had the highest incidence of human rabies of all Latin American and Caribbean countries.1 In 2005, a human case in Florida was acquired from a rabid dog exposure in Haiti.2 As of 2006, Haiti reported 11 of 29 dog-related human cases in the Americas. read more… |
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Typhoid Fever in Haiti Typhoid fever is one of the classic tropical illnesses. Although largely forgotten in the developed world, it remains endemic in Haiti. However, there is no reliable data on its incidence. There have been anecdotal reports of past outbreaks but no published reports. read more |
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Tetanus in Haiti Tetanus is endemic in Haiti. According to WHO data, 16-119 cases have been reported annually since 2004. Immunization coverage in Haiti against tetanus is approximately 50%. Fatal cases of tetanus were observed in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. read more |
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Malaria in Haiti Malaria is the best known of the tropical diseases. It is easily diagnosed, treated and prevented. Yet it continues to result in considerable morbidity and mortality throughout the developing world. In 2009, Haiti reported 49,535 cases to the Pan American Health Organization1. Approximately 30 deaths are reported annually. This data likely suffers from severe under-reporting. read more… |
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Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti In the aftermath of the earthquake, a Haitian man with an enormously swollen leg and several sites of infected skin breakdown presented to the Hôpital Sacré Coeur trauma center. Was this a case of crush injury or massive blood clot? read more… |
