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File: 950901_0410pgf_91.txt
CURRENT DISEASE INFORMATION ON COUNTRIES OF POTENTIAL INTEREST TO
DESERT SHIELD EXTRACTED FROM DISEASE OCCURRENCE -- WORLDWIDE, [
(b)(2) ] REVIEW HAS BEEN
PROVIDED BY AFMIC SURGEON.
Filename:0410pgf.91
03 07 101500Z JAN 91 PP PP
FROM: DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD //AFMIC PS//
TO: CMC WASHINGTON DC //CODE MED//
CNO WASHINGTON DC //OP-093//
HQDA WASHINGTON DC //SGPS-PSP-D//
JCS WASHINGTON DC // J4 MEDICAL//
HQ USAF BOLLING AFB DC //SGHR//
USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL //CCSG//
COMUSNAVCENT PEARL HARBOR HI //N45//
USCENTAF REAR LANGLEY AFB VA //SG//
USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL //SOSG//
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE //ECMD//
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI //SG//
CINCPACAF HICKAM AFB HI //J07//
CINCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
USARPAC FT SHAFTER HI //APMD//
USTRANSCOM SCOTT AFB IL //TCSG//
NATNAVMEDCEN BETHESDA MD
CDRJSOC FT BRAGG NC //CMD-SG
SFOD-D FT BRAGG NC
CDRXVIIIABNCORPS FT BRAGG NC //AFZA-MD//
[ (b)(6) ] [ (b)(2) ]
[ (b)(2) ]
[ (b)(6) ]
HQ USCENTCOM FWD//J2/SG//
HQ CENTAF FWD//SG//
USARCENT FWD //MD//
COMUSMARCENT //SURG//
COMUSNAVCENT //N4//
CINCLANTFLT NORFOLK VA //NO2M2//
USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA //JO2M//
COMIDEASTFOR //N4//
COMUSNAVLOGSUPFOR //N4//
MEDTREFAC COMFORT //N4//
MEDTREFAC MERCY //N4//
CG SEVENTH MEB //SURG//
CG I MEF (FWD> 1/SURG//
SEAL TEAM SIX
SOCCENT FWD //SURG//
32NDABNDIV FWD //
NAVSPECWARCOM DEPLOYED
75TH RANGERS DEPLOYED
CDR24THINFDIV (FWD) //CM&D/G2/SURG//
CDR7THTRANSGP DEPLOYED //AFFG-C S2/SURG//
CDR101STABNDIVAASLT {FWD} //CM&D/G2//
CDR44THMEDBDE //S2//
CDR30THMEDGP
5THSFG DEPLOYED
CDR213THMEDBDE
CDR127THMEDGP
CDR1STCAVDIV FT HOOD TX //G2/CM&D//
CDR1STINFDIV{M} FWD
CDR3DACR
33TFW DEPLOYED //IN//
354TACHOSP DEPLOYED //SG//
435TAW DEPLOYED //SG//
CG I MEF (REAR) //G2//
CG I MEF (FWD) //SURG//
AIG 8598
SUBJ: CURRENT DISEASE INFORMATION ON COUNTRIES OF POTENTIAL
INTEREST TO DESERT SHIELD EXTRACTED FROM DISEASE OCCURRENCE --
WORLDWIDE, [ (b)(2) ] REVIEW
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY AFMIC SURGEON.
I. KUWAIT -- [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ]
, DISEASES INCLUDING "SEVERE GASTROINTESTINAL
PROBLEMS, TYPHOID, AND MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE" HAVE OCCURRED IN THE
CIVILIAN POPULATION. INCIDENCE OF SHIGELLOSIS REPORTEDLY HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDED NORMAL LEVELS SINCE THE IRAQI INVASION
POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF LACK OF AVAILABLE IODINE FOR DISINFECTING
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. (DETERIORATION OF SANITARY CONDITIONS
AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN GENERAL HAVE CREATED CONDITIONS
FAVORABLE FOR OUTBREAKS OF FOOD, AND WATERBORNE DISEASES.) IN
ADDITION, ALTHOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE [ (b)(1)
sec 1.3(a)(4) ], MULTIPLE DRUG-RESISTANT SALMONELLA AND SHIGELLA
STRAINS APPEAR COMMON. THE CASES OF "MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE"
(PRESUMABLY MEMINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS) OCCURRED IN CHILDREN, BUT
WHETHER INCIDENCE EXCEEDED NORMAL LEVELS IS UNCLEAR. NO SEROGROUP
DATA WERE AVAILABLE ALTHOUGH GROUP A PREDOMINATED DURING THE
198O'S, GROUP W135 INCREASINGLY HAS BEEN REPORTED. [ (b)(2) ]
2. KUWAIT -- A HIGH INCIDENCE OF "INTESTINAL DISORDERS AND
DERMATOLOGICAL FUNGAL INFECTIONS" HAS BEEN REPORTED AMONG IRAQI
SOLDIERS IN KUWAIT. KUWAITI DOCTORS HAVE ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 50
PERCENT OF IRAQI SOLDIERS HAVE DERMATOLOGICAL FUNGAL INFECTIONS
ATTRIBUTABLE TO POOR PERSONAL HYGIENE. ALTHOUGH NOT SPECIFIED,
THE "INTESTINAL DISORDERS" PROBABLY INCLUDE SHIGELLOSIS AND
TYPHOID FEVER. [ (b)(2) ]
THE OVERALL INFECTIOUS DISEASE ATTACK RATE
REPORTEDLY IS MUCH HIGHER AMONG PEOPLES' ARMY SOLDIERS THAN AMONG
THE REPU8LICAN GUARD FORCES. THE IRAQI MILITARY HISTORICALLY HAS
HAD POOR FIELD SANITATION CAPABILITIES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
VULNERABLE TO OUTBREAKS OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, PARTICULARLY
THOSE WITH FOOD (ILLEGIBLE) ETIOLOGIES HOWEVER, INCONSISTENCIES
AND GAPS IN DISEASE REPORTING HAVE RENDERED ASSESSMENT OF THE
IMPACT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON IRAQI COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS HIGHLY
SPECULATIVE.
3. KUWAIT -- [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ]
INDICATED THAT "CHOLERA" OUTBREAKS HAD OCCURRED. HOWEVER, SEVERE
GASTROENTERITIS, PARTICULARLY BACILLARY DYSENTERY, OFTEN MAY BE
INCORRECTLY IDENTIFIED AS "CHOLERA" BY LAY PERSONNEL [ (b)(2)
] , AND
DYSENTERY (PRESUMABLY SHIGELLOSIS> CURRENTLY IS BELIEVED TO BE THE
ACTUAL CAUSE OF ILLNESS IN THE "CHOLERA" CASES. THIS ASSESSMENT
HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIATED BY [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ]
. CH0LERA IS NOT CONSIDERED ENDEMIC TO THE REGION, BUT SPORDIC
CASES (USUALLY IMPORTED> HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN RECENT YEARS.
[ (b)(2) ] HOWEVER, CARRIERS IN THE
IRAQI MILITARY AND THE FOREIGN CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE (FROM ENDEMIC
AREAS SUCH AS BANGLADESH, PAKISTAN, INDIA) COULD INTRODUCE
CHOLERA, WITH SUBSEQUENT OUTBREAKS LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE POOR
SANITARY CONDITIONS AND LACK OF ADEQUATE CONTROL MEASURES.
4. OMAN -- THE FIRST DOCUMENTED HUMAN DEATH FROM RABIES IN OMAN
RECENTLY WAS REPORTED. AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY DEVELOPED THE DISEASE 4
MONTHS AFTER BEING BITTEN BY A FOX NEAR HIS HOME, 240 KILOMETERS
WEST OF MUSCAT. THE REPORT DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER THE FOX WAS
TESTED FOR RABIES OR IF THE BOY RECEIVED POST EXPOSURE
PROPHYLAXIS. SYLVATIC RABIES IS ENZOOTIC IN OMAN WITH THE DESERT
FOX AS THE PRINCIPAL ENZOOTIC RESERVOIR, SPILLOVER INTO DOMESTIC
ANIMAL POPULATIONS OCCURS (LABORATORY-CONFIRMED CASES IN TWO FOXES
AND A GOAT RECENTLY WERE REPORTED), WITH STRAY DOGS (CATS AND
OTHER ANIMALS TO A LESSER EXTENT> RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE
HUMAN BITE/SCRATCH INCIDENTS REQUIRING POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS.
RISK FROM RABIES IN OMAN PREVIOUSLY HAD SEEN CONSIDERED RELATIVELY
LOW BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRICTER ANIMAL CONTROL MEASURES
(DOG VACCINATION AND LICENSURE> IN LATE 1989 AND A PUBLIC
EDUCATION PROGRAM (SUBSEQUENT TO THE BOY'S DEATH> ON THE DANGERS
OF ANIMAL BITES MAY INDICATE THAT HEALTH OFFICIALS NOW CONSIDER
RABIES RISK TO BE ELEVATED
S. YEMEN - [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ] (AL-HUDAYDAH, ON THE
RED SEA COAST, ABOUT 140 KILOMETERS WEST SOUTHWEST OF SANAA)
RECENTLY REPORTED THAT CHOLERA CASES HAVE OCCURRED AMONG YEMENIA
DISPLACED FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND CURRENTLY LOCATED IN "TENT CITIES"
THAT HAVE FORMED IN AND AROUND THAT CITY. MOST OF THE ESTIMATED
600,000 TO 800,000 YEMENI RETURNEES HAVE FOUND HOUSING IN THEIR
VILLAGES OR WITH RELATIVES, BUT "THOUSANDS" (ACCURATE ESTIMATES
NOT AVAILABLE> HAVE ESTABLISHED MAKESHIFT DWELLINGS NEAR SEVERAL
TOWNS ALONG THE RED SEA COAST. ALTHOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY
MENTIONED, SANITARY CONDITIONS IN SUCH AREAS PROBABLY ARE
CONDUCIVE FOR FOOD- AND WATERBORNE DISEASE OUTBREAKS. CHOLERA
CURRENTLY IS NOT ENDEMIC IN YEMEN: IMPORTED CASES AND SUBSEQUENT
OUTBREAKS MAY OCCUR, BUT SELDOM ARE REPORTED.
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