title: Malaria on the Move : Ecological Considerations for the Armed Forces.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Armed forces personnel deployed in the North Eastern states of India are vulnerable to falciparum malaria. This vulnerability increases during mobilization of troops.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epidemiological case sheet was used for recording individual movement, clinical features and laboratory investigations of each case of malaria. Immunochromotography test (ICT) or Paracheck Pf was used as a rapid test for falciparum malaria at the regimental aid post (RAP). Subsequently, a case control approach was used to ascertain whether the cases of malaria differed significantly from healthy controls in observing antimalaria measures such as the use of mosquito nets, repellants and chemoprophylaxis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen out of 623 soldiers suffered from falciparum malaria during a short period of ten days during operational mobilization. Use of mosquito nets and repellants was significantly less among the cases as compared to healthy controls. There was no significant difference among the two groups regarding compliance with chemoprophylaxis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A paradigm of "malaria on the move" or "operational malaria" has been proposed.
authors.affiliation: DADH, HQ 9 Inf Div, C/o 56 APO.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaiswal
authors.affiliation: Senior Advisor (Pathology), MH Secunderabad.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.affiliation: Senior Advisor (PSM) & ADH HQ (SC) Pune.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor (PSM), DY Patil Medical College, Pune.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Officer Commanding, SHO, Secunderabad.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Acharya
keywords: Armed Forces; Malaria; Mobilization