Gulf War Illness in the 1991 Gulf War and Gulf Era Veteran Population: An Application of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas Case Definitions to Historical Data
E Dursa, S Barth, B Porter, A Schneiderman Introduction In the initial years following the 1990–1991 Gulf War, reports of a complex array of medically unexplained symptoms began to emerge among US Gulf War veterans.1,2 This cluster of symptoms, which included fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, dermatological symptoms, neurological symptoms and cognitive symptoms,3-9 collectively […]
Comorbidity Risks of a Cohort of Vietnam Veterans Diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
T Bullman, A I Schniederman Abstract Background: Research has demonstrated that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased risk of other mental diseases. Studies have also reported increased risk for cardiovascular diseases associated with PTSD. Purpose: This study examined cause-specific comorbidity risks among a cohort of Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Material and […]
Epidemic of Processionary Caterpillar Dermatitis in Military Cadets
D Randell, M Fett, H Jenner, S Frances, D Shanks Abstract: Not all epidemics are due to infectious diseases. We report an epidemic of processionary caterpillar dermatitis occurring in military officer cadets participating in a field exercise. The risk of caterpillar dermatitis was unappreciated by those on a map exercise near Majura, despite seeing such […]
Rickettsial Diseases of Military Importance: An Australian Perspective
Abstract The threat of rickettsial diseases to Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel is reviewed, focusing on the historical impact and epidemiology of these diseases. Scrub typhus, a mite borne disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi is historically the most important rickettsial disease, and continues to cause morbidity in ADF personnel today. The historical occurrence of tick […]
The ability of seasonal and pandemic influenza to disrupt military operations
Abstract Influenza is one of the few infectious diseases that is able to disrupt military operations quickly. Although the extreme mortality rates seen during the pandemic of 1918-19 when tens of thousands of soldiers died has never been repeated (for as yet unclear reasons), illness rates alone make influenza of great military importance. Seasonal influenza […]
DDT and Silent Spring: Fifty years after
The impact of DDT on human health received worldwide attention from the general public, political and scientific communities, with the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.1 In Silent Spring, Carson described a series of harmful effects on the environment and wildlife resulting from the use of DDT and other similar compounds. Fifty years later the […]