Abstract
Military personnel are at high risk of contracting vector-borne and zoonotic infections, particularly during overseas deployments, when they may be exposed to endemic or emerging infections not prevalent in their native countries. We conducted seroprevalence testing of 467 UK military personnel deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, during 2008-2011 and found that up to 3.1% showed seroconversion for infection with Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, sandfly fever virus, or hantavirus; none showed seroconversion for infection with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Most seroconversions occurred in personnel who did not report illness, except for those with hantavirus (70% symptomatic). These results indicate that many exposures to infectious pathogens, and potentially infections resulting from those exposures, may go unreported. Our findings reinforce the need for continued surveillance of military personnel and for education of health care providers to help recognize and prevent illnesses and transmission of pathogens during and after overseas deployments.
Highlights
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Describe seroconversion of UK military personnel deployed to Afghanistan between 2008 and 2011 to various vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, based on a biosurveillance study
The group of initially antibody-negative personnel seroconverted to the pathogens while on deployment, which suggests that military personnel are being exposed to such diseases while on operations in Afghanistan and that these diseases are being transmitted in the region
Summary
All other clinicians completing this activity will be issued a certificate of participation To participate in this journal CME activity: [1] review the learning objectives and author disclosures; [2] study the education content; [3] take the post-test with a 75% minimum passing score and complete the evaluation at http://www.medscape.org/journal/eid; [4] view/print certificate. Describe seroconversion of UK military personnel deployed to Afghanistan between 2008 and 2011 to various vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, based on a biosurveillance study. Assess clinical and public health implications of the findings from this biosurveillance study on seroconversion of UK military personnel deployed to Afghanistan between 2008 and 2011 to various vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Disclosure: Shannon O’Connor has disclosed no relevant financial relationships
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