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Natural Environments, Page 1 of 2
< Previous page Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555817510/9781555813765_Chap05-1.gif /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555817510/9781555813765_Chap05-2.gifAbstract:
This chapter focuses on the infections generated through natural environments such us marine habitats, freshwater habitats and floods, soil, plants, terrestrial biomes, dust, winds, and seasons. Agents include raw sewage and farm waste that flows into coastal waters pollutes beaches, lagoons, and life at sea. Coasts can be sources of toxic algal blooms, polluted seafoods and beach sands, and infections in humans. The concentration of enteric agents in freshwater varies seasonally, with a low in winter. Soil is a reservoir for microorganisms and macroorganisms, such as slugs, nematodes, and arthropods. Broadly grouped biomes are the topic of this chapter: tropical forests, other woodlands, grasslands, islands, arid lands, desert oases, barren lands (highlands and Arctic tundra), and caves. Respiratory agents from dust include viruses and bacteria, but mainly fungi. Infections out of season are suspicious of importation by regional or international travel, incipient outbreaks, or intentional release. Human activities vary with seasons, confounding climate effects on infectious disease transmission. Rains significantly affect environmental conditions for bacteria, helminths, and snails.