Biological Hazards

Term Level Definition Source
Biological hazard Subgroup A hazard caused by exposure to living organisms and/or their toxic substances (e.g., venom, or mold) or vector-borne diseases that they may carry. Examples are venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous plants, algae blooms, and mosquitoes carrying agents that causes disease such as parasites, bacteria, or viruses (e.g., malaria). IRDR
Animal incident Type Subtype Human encounters with dangerous or exotic animals in both urban and rural environments. IRDR
Epidemic Type Either an unusual, often sudden, increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease that already existed in the region (e.g., flu, or E. coli) or the appearance of an infectious disease previously absent from the region (e.g., plague, or polio). EM-DAT1
Infectious disease Subtype (General) Either an unusual, often sudden, increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease that already existed in the region (e.g., flu, or E. coli) or the appearance of an infectious disease previously absent from the region (e.g., plague, or polio). IRDR1
Bacterial disease Subtype An unusual increase in the number of cases caused by exposure to bacteria either through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation. Examples include salmonella, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and cholera, among others. IRDR2
Parasitic disease Subtype An unusual increase in the number of cases caused by exposure to a parasite, i.e., an organism living on or in a host. Exposure to parasites occurs mostly through contaminated water, food, or contact with insects, animals, etc. Examples are malaria, Chagas disease, giardiasis, and Trichinellosis. IRDR2
Viral disease Subtype
Fungal disease Subtype An unusual increase in the number of cases caused by exposure to fungi either through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation of spores. Examples are fungal pneumonia, fungal meningitis, etc. IRDR2
Prion disease Subtype A type of biological hazard caused by prion proteins. Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a family of rare progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals. They are characterized by long incubation periods and neural loss. Examples are Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), Kuru, etc. IRDR2
Infestation Type Subtype (General) The pervasive influx, swarming and/or hatching of insects, worms, or other animals affecting humans, animals, crops, and perishable goods. IRDR3
Grasshopper infestation Subtype Infestation of grasshoppers (insects). IRDR3
Locust infestation Subtype Infestation of locusts (insects). IRDR3
Worm Infestation Subtype Infestation of worms. IRDR3

  1. The “Infectious disease” definition corresponds to the definition of “Disease” in the IRDR glossary. The same definition is used to define “Epidemic” in the EM-DAT glossary. ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. With minor modifications. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. These definitions have been adapted and derived from the IRDR definition of “Insect infestation”. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎