C Rapp1, O Aoun2, C Ficko2, D Andriamanantena2, C Flateau2. 1. Ecole du Val de Grâce, 1 place Alphonse Laveran, 75230 Paris, France; Infectious Diseases Department, Bégin Military Hospital, 69 avenue de Paris, 94163 Saint-Mandé, France. Electronic address: rappchristophe5@gmail.com. 2. Infectious Diseases Department, Bégin Military Hospital, 69 avenue de Paris, 94163 Saint-Mandé, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases are a frequent cause of morbidity in French troops deployed abroad. They are usually minor in severity and managed by field practitioners. We aimed to describe the etiological spectrum of travel-related infections in French soldiers evacuated to a level 4 military treatment facility. METHODS: We evaluated the diagnoses of all service members who were medically evacuated from abroad to our infectious diseases department from January 1, 2004 to October 30, 2013. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty five cases, median age 32 years were referred, 117 (94%) were male and 78 (62%) were from the Army. Main areas of deployment were Africa in 80 cases (64%), Afghanistan in 15 cases (12%), and French Guiana in 10 cases (8%). Median time between initial consultation and hospitalization in the reference center was 5 days (IQ 2-7 d). Thirty (24%) immediate aeromedical evacuations were carried out. The top five diagnoses were Plasmodium falciparum malaria (30), fever of unknown origin (15), cerebro-meningeal infections (10), invasive amebiasis (9), and HIV primary infections (9). Thirteen individuals were admitted in ICU. No death was recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious diseases were a rare of cause of medevac. Most of them were preventable. Lethal etiologies were represented by malaria and cerebro-meningeal infections.
BACKGROUND:Infectious diseases are a frequent cause of morbidity in French troops deployed abroad. They are usually minor in severity and managed by field practitioners. We aimed to describe the etiological spectrum of travel-related infections in French soldiers evacuated to a level 4 military treatment facility. METHODS: We evaluated the diagnoses of all service members who were medically evacuated from abroad to our infectious diseases department from January 1, 2004 to October 30, 2013. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty five cases, median age 32 years were referred, 117 (94%) were male and 78 (62%) were from the Army. Main areas of deployment were Africa in 80 cases (64%), Afghanistan in 15 cases (12%), and French Guiana in 10 cases (8%). Median time between initial consultation and hospitalization in the reference center was 5 days (IQ 2-7 d). Thirty (24%) immediate aeromedical evacuations were carried out. The top five diagnoses were Plasmodium falciparum malaria (30), fever of unknown origin (15), cerebro-meningeal infections (10), invasive amebiasis (9), and HIV primary infections (9). Thirteen individuals were admitted in ICU. No death was recorded. CONCLUSIONS:Infectious diseases were a rare of cause of medevac. Most of them were preventable. Lethal etiologies were represented by malaria and cerebro-meningeal infections.
Authors: Karolina M Griffiths; Hélène Savini; Philippe Brouqui; Fabrice Simon; Philippe Parola; Philippe Gautret Journal: J Travel Med Date: 2018-01-01 Impact factor: 8.490