- A mysterious viral infection has forced military authorities
in Germany to close 4 bases, ordering nearly 4000 personnel and their dependents
to stay at home, authorities said on Fri 20 Feb 2004. The bases at Schwalmstadt,
Schwarzenborn, Stadtallendorf, and Neustadt will be closed for 3 weeks
while the premises are disinfected. "This is the worst single such
infectious situation we've ever had," a Defence Ministry spokesman.
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- The viral epidemic began in Schwalmstadt in the central
German state of Hessen, when 150 of the 800 personnel stationed there complained
of inflamed and itching eyes. The Bundeswehr closed that base last week.
Just 4 days later, the same symptoms cropped up at nearby Neustadt, where
all 800 service personnel were told to go home until further notice.
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- With some 14 000 troops stationed in Hesse, German military
authorities became alarmed as 2 more bases were ordered closed. "Something
is being transmitted between these bases -- food, laundry, books -- something
that people touch with their hands and then inadvertently transfer to their
eyes," a spokesman said.
-
- At the one base in the area that is still open, in Frankenberg,
the base commander is confident the epidemic is waning. "We have had
just a dozen reported cases of eye infection out of a base population of
1200," said Colonel Peter Richard, Frankenberg base commander. "We
have launched hygiene drills and cleaning campaigns aimed at ensuring that
this does not spread any further."
-
- Bundeswehr medical officials note that infectious diseases
are common at military bases due to the close confines of 1000 or more
men and women living and working together. "This infection, however,
is a definitely more stubborn than any we have seen in recent years,"
one military doctor told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
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- http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=26&story_id=4883
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- -- Matthew Bruns Biomedical Engineering Hartford Hospital
Hartford CT US
-
-
- [A similar report in the Saturday edition of the Allgemeine
Zeitung (summarised by Matthew Bruns) indicated that, following an outbreak
of infection affecting about 230 soldiers in 6 barracks in northern and
southern Hessen, some 4700 members of the German Federal Armed Forces have
have been withdrawn from service. Disinfection of the 6 barracks is estimated
to require closure for a period of three weeks. <http://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/panorama/objekt.php3?artikel_id=1379541>
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- It is not clear whether the 2 incidents are connected,
and the descriptions of the illnesses are not sufficient to suggest a diagnosis.
Outbreaks of adenovirus infection are not uncommon in military establishments,
and some types of adenovirus infection have been associated with conjunctivitis
in the past. More specific information is awaited. - Mod.CP] .....................cp/pg/dk
-
- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD Please visit my "Emerging
Diseases" message board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health
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