SUMMARY DISEASE SURFILLANCE INFORMATION ODS

File: 102596_sep96_decls5_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 3

Subject: SUMMARY DISEASE SURFILLANCE INFORMATION ODS                     

Unit: VAR. BUMED  

Parent Organization: BUMED       

Box ID: BX303811

Folder Title: VARIOUS NAVAL MESSAGES FOLDER 2                                                                 

Document Number:          3

Folder SEQ  #:          5








                                   @high;attack rate i@ Sij?tem                       rienced.
                vitally every individual unit in                    6oun              iar'rhea'
              prevalence during the first 30 days of                the deployment exceeded
              50% in many units. The main cause was                 the use of non-approved
              food sources (especially lettuce).                    In addition, chow halls
              (particularly vat-can operations) were                overtasked, and under-
              supplied,   and     could     not maintain            adequate food     service
              sanitation.      The serving of lettuce               and other ground-grown
              vegetables.was discontinued on 25 September.             Subsequent diarrhea
              problems during the October-November time                frame were mainly
              related to vat-can field mess hall problems,             -and p  .ossibly to a
              a        ant area-wide fly problem.- The- rate           for t@ci"wliek of 27
              January was influenced by a large outbreak at one site (over 200
              cases, 6.4% attack rate).         If this location is excluded from the
              ratelcalculations, . the rate was 2.7 per             1000
                                                                         per week.      There
              haiie-'t been'-. NO LOCA.LLY"ACQUIRED  HEPATITIS      CASES IN USMC PERSONNEL
          --.:'DURING, DESERT. STORM...
              bi. RESPIRATORY        Rates   were  fairly high      at the  outset of the
                             prc)b4ly-, a   ref lection of the initial 1 crowding - in
                                 @,_(troops were packed       into     w@eihous a a       This'
                                 rob.ibiy@pc5inp@able    'to the'                           e-
                                                              and
crowding was@reduci2d,                                   a.
                                 @fates:, began-to risci-ii4           --co
                                                              @in. ast
              caused troops to close       up tents at night. The         dramatic rise     in
              December is due primarily to II MEF units,            who arrived with high
              rates (from winter-time conditions in Camp LeJeune), though units
              previously in-country also suffered increased attack rates.
              -Actual prevalence of        respiratory problems was probably much
              higher than sick call rates indicate. The apparent decline in
              rates during the weeks of 20 and 27 January probably reflects
              less sick call attendance after the war started.             The high attack
              rates for respiratory disease underscore the importance of
              influenza vaccine during field deployments. A significant flu
              epidemic would probably have occurred (with serious degradation
              of combat readiness) if not for the vaccination.

              C.     DERMATOLOGICAL - The overall pattern of steady decline
              probably represents the effect of decreasing average daily
              temperatures. Most dermatological complaints at the beginning
              were heat rash and fungal infection, aggravated by the extreme
              heat and humidity.         There   -have been approximately 2 cases of
              CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS diagnosed in Navy/Marine personnel. The
              amount of work-time lost to dermatological problems was very low.

              d.   HEAT INJURY - There have been REMARKABLY few heat casualties
              during this operation. Very early in the deployment, when the
              risk was highest,         the reporting was not comprehensive,               and
              probably failed to record many cases.                 However, there is no
              question that the rates were very low.                The slight increase in
              late December and January reflects newly              arrived units.

              e.  INJURY / MUSCULOSKELETAL - The rates have remained fairly
              steady throughout the deployment.          There is no clear-cut pattern

Document 3 f:/Week-37/BX303811/VARIOUS NAVAL MESSAGES FOLDER 2/summary disease surfillance information ods:1018961450036
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 = SUMMARY DISEASE SURFILLANCE INFORMATION ODS
Document Seq # = 3
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