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File: 100896_sep96_decls10_0003.txt
Subject: NAVCENT DISEASE SURVEILLANCE WEEK OF 2 TO 8 SEP 11 SEP 90
Unit: COMNAVCENT
Parent Organization: COMUSCINCCEN
Box ID: BX303804
Folder Title: DISEASE SURVEILLANCE FOR OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 2 - 22 SEP 1990 1 OF 2
Document Number: 1
Folder SEQ #: 1
diarrhea over a three day period. Many other cases apparently
occured which did not present to sick call. Informal outbreak
investigation by the senior physician on site implicated a
particular meal served at the field mess, and a particular menu
item (meat and gravy). The baseline rate of diarrhea/GI at this
site was approximately 1% per week before and after this
outbreak.
Food items delivered to field messes and chow halls in the
theater are NOT currently being procured from approved sources.
This issue is being addressed at the CENTCOM level. Local PMT
vigilance on food preparation is high.
8. At the FIXED WING base, the base chow hall has been feeding 1
meal a day, usually including fresh salads. Food items are from
non-approved sources, and food prepartion (including salad) is
carried out by both US and local nationals. The facility is
gradually being transitioned to US control, and PM
recommendations are being made. For the past 2 weeks, overall
diarrhea rates have exceeded 3% per week at this site (the
highest of all units being monitored).
9. Overall assessment of disease trends and preventive efforts:
a. Heat injury - Heat injury preventive efforts have been
remarkably successful in this extreme environment.
b. Diarrhea/GI - There are known problems with the food
procurement system, and these are being addressed. Foreign
nationals are still involved in food preparation, placing US
forces at risk. Sporadic problems may be occuring in US run
field messes.
c. Dermatological - Hot, humid, dirty conditions have
contributed to a relatively high number of heat rash and
fungal dermatitis cases, mostly of a minor nature.
amps and
in fixed facilites have contributed to the relatively high
rates of respiratory disease, especially at the FIXED WING
base. Anecdotal accounts suggest very high attack rates in
many units.
e. Injury - Injuries have had little impact on force
readiness thus far in the units monitored.
f. Ophthalmological - There have been few cases of
conjunctivitis. Visits for foreign body in the eye have
been higher at the FIXED WING base than other sites
(possibly due to sand storms).
g. Psychological - There have been minimal psych casualites
thus far in the units monitored.
h. Unexplained fever - There have been no significant
febrile illnesses in the units monitored.
i. Miscellaneous - no trends are apparent
j. SIQ trends - Very few lost man days have been recorded by
the surveillance system thus far. The majority have been
due to gastrointestinal disease at the FIXED WING base.
3
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Document 4 f:/Week-37/BX303804/DISEASE SURVEILLANCE FOR OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 2 - 22 SEP 1990 1 OF 2/navcent disease surveillance week of 2 to 8 sep:100196141013
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-37
Box ID = BX303804
Unit = COMNAVCENT
Parent Organization = COMUSCINCCEN
Folder Title = DISEASE SURVEILLANCE FOR OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 2 - 22 SEP 1990 1 OF 2
Folder Seq # = 1
Subject = NAVCENT DISEASE SURVEILLANCE WEEK OF 2 TO 8 SEP
Document Seq # =
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 01-OCT-1996