DISEASE SURVEILLLANCE IN USMC FORCES DURING DESERT SHIELD ST

File: 102596_sep96_decls4_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 16

Subject: DISEASE SURVEILLLANCE IN USMC FORCES DURING DESERT SHIELD ST    

Unit: VAR. BUMED  

Parent Organization: BUMED       

Box ID: BX303811

Folder Title: VARIOUS NAVAL MESSAGES FOLDER 2                                                                 

Document Number:          2

Folder SEQ  #:          5




           log.    Units were also provided a worksheet similar to enclosure (4), to
           encourage them to keep a local record of attack rate trends to assist in
           preventive medicine (PM) interventions.

           Coverage of USMC Surveillance (enci 5)

                Enclosure (5) is a graph comparing the denominators reported by
           participating units with the approximate force strength ashore.            For the
           majority of Operation Desert Shield, a high percentage of units were under
           solid weekly disease surveillance.         At the onset of Desert Storm in
           mid-January, a rapid force build-up coupled with significant troop
           movements occurred, making disease reporting much more logistically
           difficult.


           Force wide disease trends (encl 6)

                Enclosure (6) depicts the total percentages of troops treated at sick
           call per week. On average, approximately 6% of the unit strength reported
           to sick call per week (not including follow-ups).        At the onset of the air
           war, sick call attendance dropped dramatically due to increased
           operational tempo.

           Force-wide HEAT INJURY trends (encl 7)

                Despite the extremely hot and humid conditions, remarkably few
           heat injuries occurred.        The highest attack rate recorded at any time
           during the operation was .28 PERCENT per WEEK (approximately 3 per 1000
           per week).     No heat related deaths and very few admissions occurred.
           Though it is possible that heat injuries were higher during the period prior
           to 26 August (before surveillance was in place), the overall absence of
           significant heat injuries is one of the biggest successes of DS/DS.
           Commands exercised extraordinarily good hot weather discipline.

           Force-wide DIARRHEA trends (encl 8)

 epidemic
           occurred, affecting virtually all USMC units ashore.        Individual unit attack
           rates exceeded 12% per week in some cases, causing compromised
           operational readiness.     Questionnaire surveys indicated an overall diarrhea
           prevalence of over 50% for most units. The outbreak was due primarily to
           2 factors:


           1. Non-approved food sources - Early in the operation, USMC chow halls
           received fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and other items from Saudi
           contractors.    Due to the nature of the operation, there was no system in

Document 16 f:/Week-37/BX303811/VARIOUS NAVAL MESSAGES FOLDER 2/disease surveilllance in usmc forces during dese:1018961450025
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-37
Box ID = BX303811
Unit = VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization = BUMED
Folder Title = VARIOUS NAVAL MESSAGES FOLDER 2
Folder Seq # = 5
Subject = DISEASE SURVEILLLANCE IN USMC FORCES DURING DESE
Document Seq # = 2
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 = 18-OCT-1996