title: Operation United Assistance: infectious disease threats to deployed military personnel.
abstract: As part of the international response to control the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Department of Defense has deployed military personnel to train Liberians to manage the disease and build treatment units and a hospital for health care volunteers. These steps have assisted in providing a robust medical system and augment Ebola diagnostic capability within the affected nations. In order to prepare for the deployment of U.S. military personnel, the infectious disease risks of the regions must be determined. This evaluation allows for the establishment of appropriate force health protection posture for personnel while deployed, as well as management plans for illnesses presenting after redeployment. Our objective was to detail the epidemiology and infectious disease risks for military personnel in West Africa, particularly for Liberia, along with lessons learned from prior deployments.
authors.affiliation: San Antonio Military Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors.forename: Clinton K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: San Antonio Military Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors.forename: Heather C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: 48th Chemical Brigade, Fort Hood, TX 76544.
authors.forename: Ana Elizabeth
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Markelz
authors.affiliation: San Antonio Military Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors.forename: Jason F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Okulicz
authors.affiliation: San Antonio Military Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors.forename: Todd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889.
authors.forename: Timothy H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Fort Detrick, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702.
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cardile
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics Department, Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D007988:Liberia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012998:Somalia; D014481:United States; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000069578:Waterborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control