Related Experiment Videos
A malaria outbreak following a British military deployment to Sierra Leone
J J H Tuck1, A D Green, K I Roberts
1UK Defence Medical Services Health Unit, Army Medical Directorate, Former Army Staff College, Slim Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 4NP, UK. jerryck@lineone.net
Objectives:
To describe a malarial outbreak amongst a British military force deployed to Sierra Leone in May 2000.
Methods:
A case-control study was conducted that investigated possible risk or protective factors affecting the population.
Results:
All bite avoidance measures (use of insecticide-treated bed nets and insecticide-treated clothes and use of thermal fogging/knockdown insecticide sprays) offered some degree of protection, although only use of clothes and nets was significant at the 5% level. Use of 3 or 4 protection measures was significantly protective, as was the cumulative protective effect when using multiple protective measures.
Conclusion:
Professionals giving travel advice must continue to advice travellers that they can significantly improve their levels of malarial protection by using multiple protection measures.