title: Serological evidence of arboviral infection and self-reported febrile illness among U.S. troops deployed to Al Asad, Iraq.
abstract: Understanding the epidemiology of current health threats to deployed U.S. troops is important for medical assessment and planning. As part of a 2004 study among U.S. military personnel deployed to Al Asad Air Base, in the western Anbar Province of Iraq, over 500 subjects were enrolled, provided a blood specimen, and completed a questionnaire regarding history of febrile illness during this deployment (average approximately 4 months in country). This mid-deployment serum was compared to pre-deployment samples (collected approximately 3 months prior to deployment) and evaluated for seroconversion to a select panel of regional arboviral pathogens. At least one episode of febrile illness was reported in 84/504 (17%) of the troops surveyed. Seroconversion was documented in nine (2%) of deployed forces tested, with no association to febrile illness. Self-reported febrile illness was uncommon although often debilitating, and the risk of illness due to arbovirus infections was relatively low.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine & Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA. riddlem@nmrc.navy.mil
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Riddle
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Althoff
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Monteville
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yingst
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Mohareb
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Putnam
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001102:Arbovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001103:Arboviruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States