<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><base href="/"><title>Are The Floodwaters From Hurricane Harvey A Health Risk?</title><meta charset="UTF-8"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1,maximum-scale=1,user-scalable=no"><link rel="canonical" itemprop="url" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hilarybrueck/2017/08/31/floodwaters-from-hurricane-harvey-a-health-risk/"><script>!function(e){function n(r){if(t[r])return t[r].exports;var o=t[r]={i:r,l:!1,exports:{}};return e[r].call(o.exports,o,o.exports,n),o.l=!0,o.exports}var r=window.webpackJsonp;window.webpackJsonp=function(t,c,a){for(var i,u,f,s=0,d=[];s<t.length;s++)u=t[s],o[u]&&d.push(o[u][0]),o[u]=0;for(i in c)Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(c,i)&&(e[i]=c[i]);for(r&&r(t,c,a);d.length;)d.shift()();if(a)for(s=0;s<a.length;s++)f=n(n.s=a[s]);return f};var t={},o={6:0};n.e=function(e){function r(){i.onerror=i.onload=null,clearTimeout(u);var 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    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;>Flooding continues near downtown Houston following Hurricane Harvey. This photo taken August 30, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)</p> 
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<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Large swaths of Houston are underwater. The nation's fourth largest city is clogged after Harvey poured more than 50 inches of rain on the region.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Though it's been nearly a week since the storm first made landfall on Friday, August 25<sup>th</sup>, thousands are still wading their way out. Texans have been&amp;nbsp;getting a hand from rescue-workers and civilians alike, steering boats, kayaks and paddleboards, throwing out ropes – anything they can find to help bring&amp;nbsp;more flood victims ashore:</p> 
<div id=&quot;attachment_840594452&quot; class=&quot;wp-caption alignnone&quot;> 
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    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;>People board a Harris County Sheriff airboat, escaping a flooded neighborhood on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey has set what forecasters believe is a new rainfall record for the continental United States. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)</p> 
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<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>So... what's lurking in all that mud-colored water swamping Houston right now?</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>It may look gross, but public health&amp;nbsp;experts say it's not as dangerous as some on the ground might have you think.</p> 
<p> 
 </p> 
<div id=&quot;attachment_840561628&quot; class=&quot;wp-caption alignnone&quot;> 
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    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;><span>John Tuan returns to rescue his dog who was left in his flooded house in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.&amp;nbsp;</span><span>(</span><span>MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</span></p> 
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<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Here are five things to keep in mind&amp;nbsp;about floodwater:</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;><strong>#1 No, You Don't Need More Tetanus Booster Shots.</strong></p> 
<div class=&quot;vestpocket&quot; vest-pocket=&quot;&quot;></div> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... says “<a href=&quot;https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/workersafety.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;><strong>exposure to flood waters does not increase the risk of tetanus, and tetanus immunization campaigns are not needed.</strong></a>”</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>The Harris County Health Department has been warning its residents about the dangers of standing flood water and telling people who must wade in to be sure they're up-to-date on tetanus booster shots. That's confusing advice because tetanus<span class=&quot;s3&quot;> is spread through spores of bacteria found in dust, soil and animal feces that infect cuts and open wounds. Submerged in water, those contaminating '</span><span class=&quot;s4&quot;><em>Clostridium tetani</em>' </span><span class=&quot;s3&quot;>spores are likely to have already sporulated, and pose even less of a risk to humans than they do in dry conditions.</span></p> 
<p class=&quot;p3&quot;><span class=&quot;s5&quot;>Michael Osterholm, the </span>Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota says the myth about increased tetanus risk after a flood is kind of an 'old wives' tale' and health departments “<span class=&quot;s6&quot;>waste major public health resources,” worrying about updating tetanus immunizations after floods. (The Harris County Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on this story.)</span><span class=&quot;s5&quot;></span></p> 
<p class=&quot;p4&quot;><span class=&quot;s5&quot;>Adults do need to stay up-to-date on their tetanus shots, receiving a booster every 10 years, but there's no need for a special re-up during flood cleanup. In fact, </span><a href=&quot;http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/08/experts-avoid-unneeded-tetanus-shots-wake-harvey&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>Osterholm says tetanus campaigns during flood cleanup are, quite literally, a huge pain in the arm</a>: <span class=&quot;s3&quot;>“Y</span>ou have people that need to be working, and now they have really sore arms,” he says.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;><strong>#2 What Kinds Of Bacteria Are Floating Around In That Water?</strong></p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Health experts say typical pathogens in floodwater can&amp;nbsp;include:</p> 
<ul> 
 <li class=&quot;p1&quot;>Salmonella</li> 
 <li class=&quot;p4&quot;>Shigella and its close relative</li> 
 <li class=&quot;p4&quot;><a href=&quot;http://abcnews.go.com/US/small-sample-texas-floodwater-levels-coli-bacteria-expert/story?id=49529875&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>E. coli</a></li> 
</ul> 
<p class=&quot;p4&quot;>These bacteria can cause symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. But because there is <a href=&quot;https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/28/16217626/harvey-houston-flood-water-visualized&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>so much water</a> in Houston right now, the chances of coming in contact with a contaminate strong enough to do a body harm are pretty small, as long as people practice good hygiene (see tip #4.)</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;><strong>#3 What About Zika And Cholera?</strong></p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Standing floodwater. That must mean more mosquito breeding grounds, right?&amp;nbsp;Not necessarily.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p4&quot;>Osterholm says the flood water in Texas has actually washed away mosquito populations and their eggs, and Zika is not a concern right now. But summer 2018&amp;nbsp;could be a different story in Houston. By then, there could be lots of leftover floodwater-related garbage like plastic and debris littered in vacant lots and fields, which is a great habitat for water to pool and mosquitos to thrive.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p6&quot;><span class=&quot;s5&quot;>As for a <a href=&quot;https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/usa/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>cholera outbreak</a>? That's unlikely in the U.S., Osterholm says: “I</span>f you don’t have cholera in your community, you’re not going to have cholera in the water.”</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;><strong>#4 Your Mother Was Right: Wash Your Hands.</strong></p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Flood or no flood, the close quarters of evacuation shelters can be perfect breeding grounds for illness and disease. With tens of thousands of&amp;nbsp;people lining up for a place to sleep around Houston right now, it's important to remember proper hand washing and food storage practices:</p> 
<ul> 
 <li class=&quot;p1&quot;>Washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of &quot;Happy Birthday to You&quot;) reduces bacterial counts by about 90%, according to <a href=&quot;https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_handiwork_of_good_health&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>Harvard&amp;nbsp;Medical School.</a>&amp;nbsp;Hand sanitizers are nice to have in a pinch, but&amp;nbsp;old-fashioned hand washing cleans best.</li> 
 <li class=&quot;p1&quot;>It's also important to make sure perishable food is properly refrigerated, and any contaminated or spoiled food.. is thrown out.</li> 
</ul> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;><strong>#5 Can Floodwater Kill You?</strong><span class=&quot;Apple-converted-space&quot;>&amp;nbsp; </span></p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>While it's pretty rare to be killed by contaminants in floodwater, it does happen.&amp;nbsp;<a href=&quot;https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>The CDC is warning folks in Texas</a> to watch out for the deadly '<em>Vibrio</em>' family of bacteria, which can infect open wounds.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>After Katrina in 2005, <a href=&quot;https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm54d914a1.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>at least five people died</a> from '<em>Vibrio</em>' wound infections. One of them, a 60-year-old man, died after spending three days wading through the floodwaters of New Orleans.</p> 
<p class=&quot;p1&quot;>Vibrio organisms die rapidly in dry conditions, but people with open wounds and sores in the skin should avoid contact with water and cover their wounds. It's best to suit up properly if you're going to be spending lots of time in the water: Sturdy boots will help prevent bangs and cuts, while waterproof gear like fishing waders can protect open skin. If you must&amp;nbsp;venture into the brown stuff, clean up as soon as possible when you get out of the water.</p>"><div id="attachment_841052314" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F841052314%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F841052314%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale"></progressive-image> 
 </div> 
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  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
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    <p class="wp-caption-text">Flooding continues near downtown Houston following Hurricane Harvey. This photo taken August 30, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)</p> 
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  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p class="p1">Large swaths of Houston are underwater. The nation's fourth largest city is clogged after Harvey poured more than 50 inches of rain on the region.</p> 
<p class="p1">Though it's been nearly a week since the storm first made landfall on Friday, August 25<sup>th</sup>, thousands are still wading their way out. Texans have been&nbsp;getting a hand from rescue-workers and civilians alike, steering boats, kayaks and paddleboards, throwing out ropes – anything they can find to help bring&nbsp;more flood victims ashore:</p> 
<div id="attachment_840594452" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F840594452%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F840594452%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale"></progressive-image> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=""> 
  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
   <fbs-accordion current="0"> 
    <p class="wp-caption-text">People board a Harris County Sheriff airboat, escaping a flooded neighborhood on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey has set what forecasters believe is a new rainfall record for the continental United States. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)</p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p class="p1">So... what's lurking in all that mud-colored water swamping Houston right now?</p> 
<p class="p1">It may look gross, but public health&nbsp;experts say it's not as dangerous as some on the ground might have you think.</p> 
<p class="speakable-paragraph"> 
 </p> 
<div id="attachment_840561628" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F840561628%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F840561628%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale"></progressive-image> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=""> 
  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
   <fbs-accordion current="0"> 
    <p class="wp-caption-text"><span>John Tuan returns to rescue his dog who was left in his flooded house in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.&nbsp;</span><span>(</span><span>MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</span></p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p class="p1">Here are five things to keep in mind&nbsp;about floodwater:</p> 
<p class="p1"><strong>#1 No, You Don't Need More Tetanus Booster Shots.</strong></p> 
<div class="vestpocket" vest-pocket=""></div> 
<p class="p1">The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... says “<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/workersafety.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><strong>exposure to flood waters does not increase the risk of tetanus, and tetanus immunization campaigns are not needed.</strong></a>”</p> 
<p class="p1">The Harris County Health Department has been warning its residents about the dangers of standing flood water and telling people who must wade in to be sure they're up-to-date on tetanus booster shots. That's confusing advice because tetanus<span class="s3"> is spread through spores of bacteria found in dust, soil and animal feces that infect cuts and open wounds. Submerged in water, those contaminating '</span><span class="s4"><em>Clostridium tetani</em>' </span><span class="s3">spores are likely to have already sporulated, and pose even less of a risk to humans than they do in dry conditions.</span></p> 
<p class="p3"><span class="s5">Michael Osterholm, the </span>Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota says the myth about increased tetanus risk after a flood is kind of an 'old wives' tale' and health departments “<span class="s6">waste major public health resources,” worrying about updating tetanus immunizations after floods. (The Harris County Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on this story.)</span><span class="s5"></span></p> 
<p class="p4"><span class="s5">Adults do need to stay up-to-date on their tetanus shots, receiving a booster every 10 years, but there's no need for a special re-up during flood cleanup. In fact, </span><a href="http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/08/experts-avoid-unneeded-tetanus-shots-wake-harvey" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Osterholm says tetanus campaigns during flood cleanup are, quite literally, a huge pain in the arm</a>: <span class="s3">“Y</span>ou have people that need to be working, and now they have really sore arms,” he says.</p> 
<p class="p1"><strong>#2 What Kinds Of Bacteria Are Floating Around In That Water?</strong></p> 
<p class="p1">Health experts say typical pathogens in floodwater can&nbsp;include:</p> 
<ul> 
 <li class="p1">Salmonella</li> 
 <li class="p4">Shigella and its close relative</li> 
 <li class="p4"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/small-sample-texas-floodwater-levels-coli-bacteria-expert/story?id=49529875" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">E. coli</a></li> 
</ul> 
<p class="p4">These bacteria can cause symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. But because there is <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/28/16217626/harvey-houston-flood-water-visualized" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">so much water</a> in Houston right now, the chances of coming in contact with a contaminate strong enough to do a body harm are pretty small, as long as people practice good hygiene (see tip #4.)</p> 
<p class="p1"><strong>#3 What About Zika And Cholera?</strong></p> 
<p class="p1">Standing floodwater. That must mean more mosquito breeding grounds, right?&nbsp;Not necessarily.</p> 
<p class="p4">Osterholm says the flood water in Texas has actually washed away mosquito populations and their eggs, and Zika is not a concern right now. But summer 2018&nbsp;could be a different story in Houston. By then, there could be lots of leftover floodwater-related garbage like plastic and debris littered in vacant lots and fields, which is a great habitat for water to pool and mosquitos to thrive.</p> 
<p class="p6"><span class="s5">As for a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/usa/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">cholera outbreak</a>? That's unlikely in the U.S., Osterholm says: “I</span>f you don’t have cholera in your community, you’re not going to have cholera in the water.”</p> 
<p class="p1"><strong>#4 Your Mother Was Right: Wash Your Hands.</strong></p> 
<p class="p1">Flood or no flood, the close quarters of evacuation shelters can be perfect breeding grounds for illness and disease. With tens of thousands of&nbsp;people lining up for a place to sleep around Houston right now, it's important to remember proper hand washing and food storage practices:</p> 
<ul> 
 <li class="p1">Washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of "Happy Birthday to You") reduces bacterial counts by about 90%, according to <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_handiwork_of_good_health" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Harvard&nbsp;Medical School.</a>&nbsp;Hand sanitizers are nice to have in a pinch, but&nbsp;old-fashioned hand washing cleans best.</li> 
 <li class="p1">It's also important to make sure perishable food is properly refrigerated, and any contaminated or spoiled food.. is thrown out.</li> 
</ul> 
<p class="p1"><strong>#5 Can Floodwater Kill You?</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp; </span></p> 
<p class="p1">While it's pretty rare to be killed by contaminants in floodwater, it does happen.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The CDC is warning folks in Texas</a> to watch out for the deadly '<em>Vibrio</em>' family of bacteria, which can infect open wounds.</p> 
<p class="p1">After Katrina in 2005, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm54d914a1.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">at least five people died</a> from '<em>Vibrio</em>' wound infections. One of them, a 60-year-old man, died after spending three days wading through the floodwaters of New Orleans.</p> 
<p class="p1">Vibrio organisms die rapidly in dry conditions, but people with open wounds and sores in the skin should avoid contact with water and cover their wounds. It's best to suit up properly if you're going to be spending lots of time in the water: Sturdy boots will help prevent bangs and cuts, while waterproof gear like fishing waders can protect open skin. If you must&nbsp;venture into the brown stuff, clean up as soon as possible when you get out of the water.</p></div>
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	</app-root><script id="ng-templates-state" type="application/json">{&q;environmentName&q;:&q;prod&q;,&q;is_mobile&q;:false,&q;/forbesapi/content/uri.json?shortcodes=true&a;slides=true&a;type=ng&a;tickers=true&a;bvallpages=true&a;autovpslider=true&a;stream=true&a;compressimages=true&a;mobile=false&a;prgsmobileads=false&a;relativeVideo=true&a;videoplayertype=brightcove_perform_with_keyvalues&a;swimlane=&a;uri=http://www.forbes.com/sites/hilarybrueck/2017/08/31/floodwaters-from-hurricane-harvey-a-health-risk/&q;:{&q;content&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;content_59a8688864aaf90ed0d1fa28&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/3690-1647&q;,&q;source&q;:&q;blogs&q;,&q;author&q;:&q;Hilary Brueck&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Are The Floodwaters From Hurricane Harvey A Health Risk?&q;,&q;date&q;:1504217640000,&q;body&q;:&q;&l;p&g;[caption id=\&q;attachment_841052314\&q; photocredit=\&q;\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;960\&q;]&l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-841052314\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/841052314/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;642\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q;&g; Flooding continues near downtown Houston following Hurricane Harvey. This photo taken August 30, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)[/caption]\r\n&l;/p&g;&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Large swaths of Houston are underwater. The nation&s;s fourth largest city is clogged after Harvey poured more than 50 inches of rain on the region.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Though it&s;s been nearly a week since the storm first made landfall on Friday, August 25&l;sup&g;th&l;/sup&g;, thousands are still wading their way out. Texans have been&a;nbsp;getting a hand from rescue-workers and civilians alike, steering boats, kayaks and paddleboards, throwing out ropes &a;ndash; anything they can find to help bring&a;nbsp;more flood victims ashore:&l;/p&g;\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\&q;attachment_840594452\&q; photocredit=\&q;\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;960\&q;]&l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-840594452\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/840594452/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;640\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q;&g; People board a Harris County Sheriff airboat, escaping a flooded neighborhood on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey has set what forecasters believe is a new rainfall record for the continental United States. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)[/caption]\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;So... what&s;s lurking in all that mud-colored water swamping Houston right now?&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;It may look gross, but public health&a;nbsp;experts say it&s;s not as dangerous as some on the ground might have you think.&l;/p&g;\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\&q;attachment_840561628\&q; photocredit=\&q;\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;960\&q;]&l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-840561628\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/840561628/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;752\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q;&g;&l;span&g;John Tuan returns to rescue his dog who was left in his flooded house in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;(&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)&l;/span&g;[/caption]\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Here are five things to keep in mind&a;nbsp;about floodwater:&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#1 No, You Don&s;t Need More Tetanus Booster Shots.&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... says &a;ldquo;&l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/workersafety.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;exposure to flood waters does not increase the risk of tetanus, and tetanus immunization campaigns are not needed.&l;/strong&g;&l;/a&g;&a;rdquo;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;The Harris County Health Department has been warning its residents about the dangers of standing flood water and telling people who must wade in to be sure they&s;re up-to-date on tetanus booster shots. That&s;s confusing advice because tetanus&l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g; is spread through spores of bacteria found in dust, soil and animal feces that infect cuts and open wounds. Submerged in water, those contaminating &s;&l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s4\&q;&g;&l;em&g;Clostridium tetani&l;/em&g;&s; &l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g;spores are likely to have already sporulated, and pose even less of a risk to humans than they do in dry conditions.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p3\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;Michael Osterholm, the &l;/span&g;Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota says the myth about increased tetanus risk after a flood is kind of an &s;old wives&s; tale&s; and health departments &a;ldquo;&l;span class=\&q;s6\&q;&g;waste major public health resources,&a;rdquo; worrying about updating tetanus immunizations after floods. (The Harris County Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on this story.)&l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;Adults do need to stay up-to-date on their tetanus shots, receiving a booster every 10 years, but there&s;s no need for a special re-up during flood cleanup. In fact, &l;/span&g;&l;a href=\&q;http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/08/experts-avoid-unneeded-tetanus-shots-wake-harvey\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;Osterholm says tetanus campaigns during flood cleanup are, quite literally, a huge pain in the arm&l;/a&g;: &l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g;&a;ldquo;Y&l;/span&g;ou have people that need to be working, and now they have really sore arms,&a;rdquo; he says.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#2 What Kinds Of Bacteria Are Floating Around In That Water?&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Health experts say typical pathogens in floodwater can&a;nbsp;include:&l;/p&g;\r\n\r\n&l;ul&g;&l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Salmonella&l;/li&g;\r\n \t&l;li class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;Shigella and its close relative&l;/li&g;\r\n \t&l;li class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;&l;a href=\&q;http://abcnews.go.com/US/small-sample-texas-floodwater-levels-coli-bacteria-expert/story?id=49529875\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;E. coli&l;/a&g;&l;/li&g;\r\n&l;/ul&g;&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;These bacteria can cause symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. But because there is &l;a href=\&q;https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/28/16217626/harvey-houston-flood-water-visualized\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;so much water&l;/a&g; in Houston right now, the chances of coming in contact with a contaminate strong enough to do a body harm are pretty small, as long as people practice good hygiene (see tip #4.)&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#3 What About Zika And Cholera?&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Standing floodwater. That must mean more mosquito breeding grounds, right?&a;nbsp;Not necessarily.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;Osterholm says the flood water in Texas has actually washed away mosquito populations and their eggs, and Zika is not a concern right now. But summer 2018&a;nbsp;could be a different story in Houston. By then, there could be lots of leftover floodwater-related garbage like plastic and debris littered in vacant lots and fields, which is a great habitat for water to pool and mosquitos to thrive.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p6\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;As for a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/usa/index.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;cholera outbreak&l;/a&g;? That&s;s unlikely in the U.S., Osterholm says: &a;ldquo;I&l;/span&g;f you don&a;rsquo;t have cholera in your community, you&a;rsquo;re not going to have cholera in the water.&a;rdquo;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#4 Your Mother Was Right: Wash Your Hands.&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Flood or no flood, the close quarters of evacuation shelters can be perfect breeding grounds for illness and disease. With tens of thousands of&a;nbsp;people lining up for a place to sleep around Houston right now, it&s;s important to remember proper hand washing and food storage practices:&l;/p&g;\r\n\r\n&l;ul&g;&l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of \&q;Happy Birthday to You\&q;) reduces bacterial counts by about 90%, according to &l;a href=\&q;https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_handiwork_of_good_health\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;Harvard&a;nbsp;Medical School.&l;/a&g;&a;nbsp;Hand sanitizers are nice to have in a pinch, but&a;nbsp;old-fashioned hand washing cleans best.&l;/li&g;\r\n \t&l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;It&s;s also important to make sure perishable food is properly refrigerated, and any contaminated or spoiled food.. is thrown out.&l;/li&g;\r\n&l;/ul&g;&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#5 Can Floodwater Kill You?&l;/strong&g;&l;span class=\&q;Apple-converted-space\&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;While it&s;s pretty rare to be killed by contaminants in floodwater, it does happen.&a;nbsp;&l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;The CDC is warning folks in Texas&l;/a&g; to watch out for the deadly &s;&l;em&g;Vibrio&l;/em&g;&s; family of bacteria, which can infect open wounds.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;After Katrina in 2005, &l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm54d914a1.htm\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;at least five people died&l;/a&g; from &s;&l;em&g;Vibrio&l;/em&g;&s; wound infections. One of them, a 60-year-old man, died after spending three days wading through the floodwaters of New Orleans.&l;/p&g;\r\n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Vibrio organisms die rapidly in dry conditions, but people with open wounds and sores in the skin should avoid contact with water and cover their wounds. It&s;s best to suit up properly if you&s;re going to be spending lots of time in the water: Sturdy boots will help prevent bangs and cuts, while waterproof gear like fishing waders can protect open skin. If you must&a;nbsp;venture into the brown stuff, clean up as soon as possible when you get out of the water.&l;/p&g;&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;It&s;s brown, it looks gross... what&s;s in all that Harvey floodwater?&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/841052314/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;storyType&q;:&q;post&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/hilarybrueck/2017/08/31/floodwaters-from-hurricane-harvey-a-health-risk/&q;,&q;comments&q;:[],&q;visible&q;:true,&q;authors&q;:[{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/1676002&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;Hilary Brueck&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:400,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d13da74e54b6418eca4d8910d77e743b?s=400&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:136,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d13da74e54b6418eca4d8910d77e743b?s=136&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:62,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d13da74e54b6418eca4d8910d77e743b?s=62&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:40,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d13da74e54b6418eca4d8910d77e743b?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;}],&q;url&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/hilarybrueck/&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;profileUrl&q;:&q;/sites/hilarybrueck/&q;,&q;twitterName&q;:&q;hilarx&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;individual&q;,&q;email&q;:&q;hilaryatforbes@gmail.com&q;,&q;blog&q;:false,&q;timestamp&q;:1507679661036,&q;blogName&q;:&q;Hilary Brueck&q;,&q;topics&q;:[&q;innovation-and-science&q;,&q;green-tech&q;,&q;tech&q;,&q;mobile&q;,&q;game-changers&q;,&q;business&q;,&q;science&q;,&q;future-of-work&q;,&q;transformational-tech&q;,&q;gear&q;,&q;places-spaces&q;,&q;powering-productivity&q;],&q;description&q;:&q;I report on how science and technology are changing the way we live.\r\n \r\nReach out to me on Twitter @hilarx, follow me on Facebook, or pitch me a story: hilaryatforbes@gmail.com.&q;,&q;recentActivityCount&q;:0,&q;latestActivityDate&q;:1447094220000,&q;dailyActivityCount&q;:0,&q;primaryBlogNaturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-3690&q;,&q;shortUri&q;:&q;http://onforb.es/1yrpsCW&q;,&q;displayChannel&q;:&q;technology&q;,&q;displaySection&q;:&q;science&q;,&q;contributorSince&q;:1429120127000,&q;slug&q;:&q;hilarybrueck&q;,&q;showNoVestPocket&q;:false,&q;embargo&q;:false,&q;primaryChannelId&q;:&q;channel_3&q;,&q;primarySectionId&q;:&q;section_16&q;,&q;enableContribContact&q;:true,&q;sigfile&q;:&q;&l;em&g;For more of the best science &a; technology coverage, follow me on Twitter &l;a href=\&q;https://twitter.com/Hilarx\&q;&g;@hilarx&l;/a&g;.&l;/em&g;&q;,&q;enableTwitterFeed&q;:false,&q;disableCanonical&q;:false,&q;disableDigest&q;:false,&q;forbesTwitterProfile&q;:{&q;screenName&q;:&q;Hilarx&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;Hilary Brueck&q;,&q;profileImageUrl&q;:&q;http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/758723519840681985/Zzft7CY1.jpg&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;Science reporter @businessinsider. Previously: @SciForbes, @ABCNewsRadio, @columbiajourn &a; @PeaceCorps. Views mine. 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Prevention&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;Organization&q;,&q;relevance&q;:0.2},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Apple&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;Company&q;,&q;relevance&q;:0.2}],&q;showNoVestPocket&q;:false,&q;googleKeywords&q;:[&q;hurricane harvey&q;,&q; floodwater&q;,&q; health hazards&q;,&q; flood safety&q;,&q; houston floods&q;,&q; tetanus&q;,&q; water disease&q;],&q;writtenByForbesStaff&q;:false,&q;templateType&q;:&q;standard&q;,&q;enableSigfile&q;:true,&q;primaryChannel&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;channel_3&q;,&q;channelId&q;:&q;channel_3&q;,&q;channelName&q;:&q;Tech&q;,&q;sectionId&q;:&q;section_16&q;,&q;sectionName&q;:&q;Science&q;,&q;url&q;:&q;/science&q;,&q;shortName&q;:&q;Science&q;},&q;pages&q;:[&q;&l;div id=\&q;attachment_841052314\&q; class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-841052314\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/841052314/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;642\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q; /&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;Flooding continues near downtown Houston following Hurricane Harvey. This photo taken August 30, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Large swaths of Houston are underwater. The nation&s;s fourth largest city is clogged after Harvey poured more than 50 inches of rain on the region.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Though it&s;s been nearly a week since the storm first made landfall on Friday, August 25&l;sup&g;th&l;/sup&g;, thousands are still wading their way out. Texans have been&a;nbsp;getting a hand from rescue-workers and civilians alike, steering boats, kayaks and paddleboards, throwing out ropes – anything they can find to help bring&a;nbsp;more flood victims ashore:&l;/p&g; \n&l;div id=\&q;attachment_840594452\&q; class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-840594452\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/840594452/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;640\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q; /&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;People board a Harris County Sheriff airboat, escaping a flooded neighborhood on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey has set what forecasters believe is a new rainfall record for the continental United States. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;So... what&s;s lurking in all that mud-colored water swamping Houston right now?&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;It may look gross, but public health&a;nbsp;experts say it&s;s not as dangerous as some on the ground might have you think.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g; \n &l;fbs-ad position=\&q;inread\&q; progressive=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/fbs-ad&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;div id=\&q;attachment_840561628\&q; class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;img class=\&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-840561628\&q; src=\&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/840561628/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; data-height=\&q;752\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q; /&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;&l;span&g;John Tuan returns to rescue his dog who was left in his flooded house in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;(&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Here are five things to keep in mind&a;nbsp;about floodwater:&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#1 No, You Don&s;t Need More Tetanus Booster Shots.&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;div class=\&q;vestpocket\&q; vest-pocket=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/div&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... says “&l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/workersafety.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;exposure to flood waters does not increase the risk of tetanus, and tetanus immunization campaigns are not needed.&l;/strong&g;&l;/a&g;”&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;The Harris County Health Department has been warning its residents about the dangers of standing flood water and telling people who must wade in to be sure they&s;re up-to-date on tetanus booster shots. That&s;s confusing advice because tetanus&l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g; is spread through spores of bacteria found in dust, soil and animal feces that infect cuts and open wounds. Submerged in water, those contaminating &s;&l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s4\&q;&g;&l;em&g;Clostridium tetani&l;/em&g;&s; &l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g;spores are likely to have already sporulated, and pose even less of a risk to humans than they do in dry conditions.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p3\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;Michael Osterholm, the &l;/span&g;Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota says the myth about increased tetanus risk after a flood is kind of an &s;old wives&s; tale&s; and health departments “&l;span class=\&q;s6\&q;&g;waste major public health resources,” worrying about updating tetanus immunizations after floods. (The Harris County Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on this story.)&l;/span&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;Adults do need to stay up-to-date on their tetanus shots, receiving a booster every 10 years, but there&s;s no need for a special re-up during flood cleanup. In fact, &l;/span&g;&l;a href=\&q;http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/08/experts-avoid-unneeded-tetanus-shots-wake-harvey\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;Osterholm says tetanus campaigns during flood cleanup are, quite literally, a huge pain in the arm&l;/a&g;: &l;span class=\&q;s3\&q;&g;“Y&l;/span&g;ou have people that need to be working, and now they have really sore arms,” he says.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#2 What Kinds Of Bacteria Are Floating Around In That Water?&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Health experts say typical pathogens in floodwater can&a;nbsp;include:&l;/p&g; \n&l;ul&g; \n &l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Salmonella&l;/li&g; \n &l;li class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;Shigella and its close relative&l;/li&g; \n &l;li class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;&l;a href=\&q;http://abcnews.go.com/US/small-sample-texas-floodwater-levels-coli-bacteria-expert/story?id=49529875\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;E. coli&l;/a&g;&l;/li&g; \n&l;/ul&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;These bacteria can cause symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. But because there is &l;a href=\&q;https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/28/16217626/harvey-houston-flood-water-visualized\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;so much water&l;/a&g; in Houston right now, the chances of coming in contact with a contaminate strong enough to do a body harm are pretty small, as long as people practice good hygiene (see tip #4.)&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#3 What About Zika And Cholera?&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Standing floodwater. That must mean more mosquito breeding grounds, right?&a;nbsp;Not necessarily.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p4\&q;&g;Osterholm says the flood water in Texas has actually washed away mosquito populations and their eggs, and Zika is not a concern right now. But summer 2018&a;nbsp;could be a different story in Houston. By then, there could be lots of leftover floodwater-related garbage like plastic and debris littered in vacant lots and fields, which is a great habitat for water to pool and mosquitos to thrive.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p6\&q;&g;&l;span class=\&q;s5\&q;&g;As for a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/usa/index.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;cholera outbreak&l;/a&g;? That&s;s unlikely in the U.S., Osterholm says: “I&l;/span&g;f you don’t have cholera in your community, you’re not going to have cholera in the water.”&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#4 Your Mother Was Right: Wash Your Hands.&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Flood or no flood, the close quarters of evacuation shelters can be perfect breeding grounds for illness and disease. With tens of thousands of&a;nbsp;people lining up for a place to sleep around Houston right now, it&s;s important to remember proper hand washing and food storage practices:&l;/p&g; \n&l;ul&g; \n &l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of &a;quot;Happy Birthday to You&a;quot;) reduces bacterial counts by about 90%, according to &l;a href=\&q;https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_handiwork_of_good_health\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;Harvard&a;nbsp;Medical School.&l;/a&g;&a;nbsp;Hand sanitizers are nice to have in a pinch, but&a;nbsp;old-fashioned hand washing cleans best.&l;/li&g; \n &l;li class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;It&s;s also important to make sure perishable food is properly refrigerated, and any contaminated or spoiled food.. is thrown out.&l;/li&g; \n&l;/ul&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;&l;strong&g;#5 Can Floodwater Kill You?&l;/strong&g;&l;span class=\&q;Apple-converted-space\&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;While it&s;s pretty rare to be killed by contaminants in floodwater, it does happen.&a;nbsp;&l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;The CDC is warning folks in Texas&l;/a&g; to watch out for the deadly &s;&l;em&g;Vibrio&l;/em&g;&s; family of bacteria, which can infect open wounds.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;After Katrina in 2005, &l;a href=\&q;https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm54d914a1.htm\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;at least five people died&l;/a&g; from &s;&l;em&g;Vibrio&l;/em&g;&s; wound infections. One of them, a 60-year-old man, died after spending three days wading through the floodwaters of New Orleans.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p class=\&q;p1\&q;&g;Vibrio organisms die rapidly in dry conditions, but people with open wounds and sores in the skin should avoid contact with water and cover their wounds. It&s;s best to suit up properly if you&s;re going to be spending lots of time in the water: Sturdy boots will help prevent bangs and cuts, while waterproof gear like fishing waders can protect open skin. 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