Diarrheal disease aboard a U.S. Navy ship after a brief port visit to a high risk area.
In August 1988, a study was conducted to determine the etiology and risk factors associated with travelers' diarrhea among U.S. military personnel after a 5-day port visit to Alexandria, Egypt. Twenty-one percent of the 2,747 evaluated crew members of the USS John F. Kennedy reported an episode of acute diarrhea, which led to 155 sick-call visits and at least 110 lost man-days. The most common pathogen identified was enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and all isolated bacterial enteropathogens were sensitive to quinolone drugs. Independent risk factors for the development of diarrhea included: (1) consuming any meal ashore and specifically eating meats, desserts, or a buffet meal; and (2) a recent history of travelers' diarrhea. These data indicate that even brief port visits to developing countries pose a major threat to the health of U.S. shipboard personnel.
Haberberger
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RL
Bacteriology Division, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt.
Scott
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DA
Thornton
S A
SA
Hyams
K C
KC
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009326:Naval Medicine; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States