title: Morbidity among the Israeli Defense Force response team during Nepal, post-earthquake mission, 2015.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  On 25 April 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. Soon after, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) dispatched a rapid-response team and opened a tertiary field hospital in Kathmandu. There is limited data regarding the spectrum of diseases among rescue teams to disease-stricken areas. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity among the field-hospital staff during the mission.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rescue team was deployed for a 2-week mission in Kathmandu. Pre-travel vaccinations were given prior to departure. The field-hospital was self-equipped including food and drinking water supply with a self-serving kitchen, yet had a shortage of running water. A Public Healthcare and Infectious-Diseases team was present and active during the entire mission. A survey assessing the morbidities and risk-factors throughout the mission was performed at the last day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty-seven (69%) team members completed the questionnaire. Medical complaints were recorded in 87 of them (64%). The most common symptoms were gastrointestinal (GI) (53% of all responders, 84% of the 87 with symptoms). Respiratory symptoms were recorded in 16% and fever in only 8%. There was no significant difference in the rate or spectrum of morbidity between the medical and the non-medical staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Israeli field hospital was a stand-alone facility, yet 53% of its' staff suffered from GI complaints. Prevention of morbidity and specifically of GI complaints upon arrival to a disaster-stricken area in a developing country is difficult. Medical teams in such missions should be acquainted with treating GI complaints.
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel.|The Infectious Diseases Unit, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lachish
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Aviad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alalouf
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel.|The Trauma Unit, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Merin
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel.|The Center for Geographic Medicine, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel, And Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009017:Morbidity; D009390:Nepal; D012066:Relief Work; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel
keywords: Disaster; Nepal post-earthquake; field hospital; gastrointestinal; rescue teams