PREVENTION OF HEPATITIS A IN SOLDIERS

File: 102596_sep96_decls19_0001.txt
Page: 0001
Total Pages: 2

Subject: PREVENTION OF HEPATITIS A IN SOLDIERS                           

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box ID: BX003202

Folder Title: DESERT SHIELD MEDICAL ISSUES REVIEW AND AD HOC WORKING GROUP                                    

Document Number:          4

Folder SEQ  #:         31




                                                    UNCLASSIFIED
                               DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
                              WALTER REED ARMY INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH
                               WALTER REED ARMY ME@ CENTER
                                   WASHlt#GTON, D.C. 2=7.SIW

                                     Appendix C


            IN RMY AEFER TO

          SGRD-UWF-E                                   7 December 1990


          MEMORANDUM FOR Head, Tri-Service Vaccine Task Force

          SUBJECT: Prevention of Hepatitis A in Soldiers


          BACKGROUND:

          1. Hepatitis A is a high risk problem for operation Desert
          Shield and must be prevented. T@ansmission in the area is
          intense: 90% of Saudi children have antibody to Hepatitis A by
          age 10 and most acute Hepatitis in the region is due to Hepatitis
          A.     'of U.,S. forces lack antibody and are susceptible.    Immune
          serum g obulin will ameliorate Hepatitis A, but repeated doses
          must be administered every 3 months in the field, and domestic
          sources have been exhausted.

          DEVELOPMENT OF HEPATITIS A VACCINE:

          1. The USAMRDC has led the effort to develop a Hepatitis A
          vaccine. Industrial partners (MSD and SKF) are nearing
          licensure. Two products are being tested under Investigational
          New Drug exemptions (IND's).

          2. Smith Kline Beecham has developed a formalin inactivated
          Hepatitis A vaccine which has been given to over 6000 volunteers,
          including                                                 The
          vaccine stimulates an active antibody response in nearly all
          recipients. Side effects are limited to transient local soreness
          in about 40%, but no loss of duty time has occurred. Recent data
          indicates that vaccine can be given at days 0 and 14, with
          universal (100%) antibody development by day 30. Such a regimen
uld be appropriate for deploying soldiers. The standard jet
          injector has been shown to be effective, and would be useful for
          rapid mass inoculation using multidose vials. WRAIR will
          evaluate rapid immunization schedules in soldiers of the 25th
          Infantry Division in December. Field efficacy trials are being
          carried out by the U.S. Army in Thailand, but data from this
          trial will not be available for at least one year. However, the
          vaccine is likely to be protective, since it induces
          substantially higher levels of neutralizing antibody than immune
          serum globulin.





          DECLASSIFIED
          ON: 16 OCT 96
          BY: SEC ARMY (DAMH) UNDER SEC 3.4 EO 12958

Document 2 f:/Week-36/BX003202/DESERT SHIELD MEDICAL ISSUES REVIEW AND AD HOC WORKING GROUP/prevention of hepatitis a in soldiers:10189613544920
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003202
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = DESERT SHIELD MEDICAL ISSUES REVIEW AND AD HOC WORKING GROUP
Folder Seq # = 31
Subject = PREVENTION OF HEPATITIS A IN SOLDIERS
Document Seq # = 4
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