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- Title
INFECTIOUS DISEASES, GLOBALISATION AND MILITARY CONFLICTS.
- Authors
POPOV, Georgi; KOSTADINOV, Rostislav; PLOCHEV, Kamen
- Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Military confl icts and infectious diseases have always been closely linked, as the historical data for this goes back to the past. In the early 21st century, infectious diseases continue to be a threat to global security, due to the emergence of new and reemergence of old, forgotten diseases. On the other hand, it notes a change in the nature of modern confl icts - mainly regional, asymmetric and related with military activities in remote countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on data from our own research in confl ict zones and the data from the world literature. We have focused on the confl icts of the past 20 years, conducted in the Western Balkans, the Middle East, Southwest and Southeast Asia and Africa. Infectious diseases affect all parties involved in the confl ict: armed forces, local populations, internally displace people and host communities. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The main infectious diseases associated with military confl ict, according to mode of transmission are: - Respiratory diseases - tuberculosis, measles, chicken pox, meningitis, viral and bacterial pneumonia. - Intestinal diseases - cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and E, brucellosis, campylobacteriosis, amebiasis, giardiasis, salmonellosis, shigellosis, askaridosis. - Vector borne diseases - malaria, leishmaniasis, Q fever, West Nile, dengue, yellow fever, schistosomiasis, tripanozomiasis. - Transmissible diseases - AIDS, hepatitis B and C. - Sexual transmittable diseases - AIDS, syphilis, hepatitis B, gonorrhea. - Wound diseases - tetanus, gas gangrene, erysipelas. Military personnel are subject to increased morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases due to the exposure of new ones to which they are not immune and have not been vaccinated. On the other hand, they are at risk of infection because most are aged between 18 and 30 years old, sexually active, often long-term mission in remote countries under stress, unauthorized use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances, the background military culture that promotes aggression and risk taking. Malaria, acute respiratory illness and diarrheal diseases are responsible for the largest percentage of the indirect causes of death in confl ict zones.
- Publication
Balkan Military Medical Review, 2014, Vol 17, p5
- ISSN
1107-6275
- Publication type
Article