Leishmaniasis in the United States military veterinary patient population

Author(s):  
Lauren M. Seal ◽  
Sara B. Mullaney ◽  
Sheldon G. Waugh

Abstract OBJECTIVE To describe the presence of Leishmania infection within the animal population receiving care from US Army Veterinary Services. ANIMALS 629 canine, feline, and equine patients of US Army Veterinary Services from 2014 to 2017. PROCEDURES Personnel at the US Army Public Health Center ran a query within the Remote Online Veterinary Record system using previously validated search terms (eg, liesh, leish, and lesh) and returned data on any patient for which the master problem list included those terms. Next, a query was run to identify all leishmaniasis testing. Records identified by queries were reviewed manually, and data were collected on patient signalment, indication for and type of testing, location of testing, and previous locations or country of the patient. RESULTS Only dogs (n = 378), not cats or horses, had been tested for leishmaniasis, 54 (14.3%) of which tested positive for Leishmania infection. More specifically, 39 of 104 (37.5%) privately owned dogs tested positive, compared with 15 of 274 (5.6%) government-owned dogs. Overall, 186 dogs had no clinical signs, 12 (6.5%) of which tested positive. Forty-four of the 54 (81%) test-positive dogs were located in or had traveled to an endemic area. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The prevalence of leishmaniasis in the various subpopulations of dogs suggested the need for additional prevalence studies. Many animals travel in and out of the US, and repeated introduction of Leishmania spp could lead to this vector-borne disease becoming endemic in the US animal and human populations. Consequently, US veterinarians need to ensure proper testing and follow-up to protect one health.

Author(s):  
D.B. Izyumov ◽  
E.L. Kondratyuk

The article discusses issues related to the development and use of training means and facilities in order to improve the level of training of US Army personnel. An overview of the main simulators used in the US Armed Forces at present is given, and the prospects for the development of the United States in this area are presented.


2020 ◽  
pp. 39-68
Author(s):  
Brian Taylor

This chapter looks at the first two years of the Civil War, when black men were barred from serving in the US Army. It follows the debate that black Northerners conducted about the proper response to the call to serve in the US military, which they were sure would come at some point. Immediate enlistment advocates sparred with those who counseled withholding enlistment until African Americans’ demands had been met. Black Northerners began to articulate the terms under which they would serve the Union, among which citizenship emerged as central, as well as the changes necessary to bring lived reality in the United States in line with the founding principle of equality.


Author(s):  
Jon B. Mikolashek

Patton’s wound is slow to heal; during this time, however, Patton is promoted to colonel. Discharged from the hospital, Patton returns to duty as the war ends. He hopes for the Medal of Honor but is awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. With the war over, Patton spends the rest of his time overseas maintaining discipline, giving lectures on armored warfare and the future of tanks, and preparing for his return to the United States and his family. Patton prepares himself also for the fight to keep tanks in an independent Tank Corps as a vital weapons system for the US Army.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 39-47
Author(s):  
Tomáš Tlustý

This paper looks at the fi rst steps taken by the American YMCA to expand its physical education program across various countries in South and Central America, Asia and Europe. The YMCA was established in 1844 in London. However, it particularly fl ourished in the United States of America, building large physical education facilities, setting up its fi rst physical education institute and developing new sports. Their schools were attended by people from all over the world, who went on to promote the organisation’s physical education program. Due to cooperation with the US army, the organisation saw further expansion and its secretaries began to operate in other countries. They were instrumental in establishing the fi rst local YMCA groups, often provided with material and fi nancial support by the United States. Local groups began to build their own physical education facilities and adopt new “American” sports. Elwood S. Brown was a pioneer in the promotion of the American YMCA’s physical education program. He worked for the organisation on several continents, signifi cantly assisting the organisation of big sporting events which were always attended by sportsmen from several countries. Unfortunately,many of the national YMCA groups were later paralysed by the Second World War. Despite that, theYMCA has become the largest voluntary youth organisation in the world.


2014 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Carey

This historical review explores Harvey Cushing's difficulties with both the British and American armies during his World War I service to definitively examine the rumor of his possible court martial. It also provides a further understanding of Cushing the man. While in France during World War I, Cushing was initially assigned to British hospital units. This service began in May 1917 and ended abruptly in May 1918 when the British cashiered him for repeated censorship violations. Returning to American command, he feared court martial. The army file on this matter (retrieved from the United States National Archives) indicates that US Army authorities recommended that Cushing be reprimanded and returned to the US for his violations. The army carried out neither recommendation, and no evidence exists that a court martial was considered. Cushing's army career and possible future academic life were protected by the actions of his surgical peers and Merritte Ireland, Chief Surgeon of the US Army in France. After this censorship episode, Cushing was made a neurosurgical consultant but was also sternly warned that further rule violations would not be tolerated by the US Army. Thereafter, despite the onset of a severe peripheral neuropathy, probably Guillian Barré's syndrome, Cushing was indefatigable in ministering to neurosurgical needs in the US sector in France. Cushing's repeated defying of censorship regulations reveals poor judgment plus an initial inability to be a “team player.” The explanations he offered for his censorship violations showed an ability to bend the truth. Cushing's war journal is unclear as to exactly what transpired between him and the British and US armies. It also shows no recognition of the help he received from others who were instrumental in preventing his ignominious removal from service in France. Had that happened, his academic future and ability to train future neurosurgical leaders may have been seriously threatened. Cushing's foibles notwithstanding, all realized that he contributed greatly to both British and US war neurosurgery. United States Army surgeons who operated upon brain wounds in France recognized Cushing as their leader.


2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 465-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry Salem

This manuscript describes the overview presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American College of Toxicology in 2002. Although it is recognized that weapons of mass destruction that can be used against our military and civilian populations include chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents, this overview is limited primarily to chemical and biological (CB) agents. The issues of CB terrorism are discussed in terms of When, What, How, and Who. The US Army has been providing chemical and biological solutions since 1917, and has since 1996 applied these solutions to homeland defense and domestic preparedness. The use of chemical and biological agents as terrorist weapons both in the United States and elsewhere in the world is reviewed. The CB threat spectrum is presented, as is the further categorization of biological threat agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the CB agents considered to be a potential threat to our water supply are also presented. These are agents that are water soluble, stable, and resistant to water treatment and/or disinfection. The overview concludes with the chronological accomplishments of ECBC since 1917.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin H Slovis ◽  
John Kairys ◽  
Bracken Babula ◽  
Melanie Girondo ◽  
Cara Martino ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. Long-term use of opioid medications is associated with an increased risk of dependence. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes specific recommendations regarding opioid prescribing, including that prescription quantities should not exceed the intended duration of treatment. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine if opioid prescription quantities written at our institution exceed intended duration of treatment and whether enhancements to our electronic health record system improved any discrepancies. METHODS We examined the opioid prescriptions written at our institution for a 22-month period. We examined the duration of treatment documented in the prescription itself and calculated a duration based on the quantity of tablets and doses per day. We determined whether requiring documentation of the prescription duration affected these outcomes. RESULTS We reviewed 72,314 opioid prescriptions, of which 16.96% had a calculated duration that was greater than what was documented in the prescription. Making the duration a required field significantly reduced this discrepancy (17.95% vs 16.21%, <i>P</i>&lt;.001) but did not eliminate it. CONCLUSIONS Health information technology vendors should develop tools that, by default, accurately represent prescription durations and/or modify doses and quantities dispensed based on provider-entered durations. This would potentially reduce unintended prolonged opioid use and reduce the potential for long-term dependence.


Author(s):  
Robert Pietrygała ◽  
Zdzisław Cutter

The article focuses on the period of the Vietnam War, with particular emphasis on the role played by engineering troops (as a necessary component of individual tactical associations, and a guarantee of success of military operations conducted by the US army). The paper presents the engineering troops’ efforts to build military infrastructure, as well as the assistance provided to the South Vietnamese society. The article contains a list of all engineering units of the American army involved in the Vietnamese conflict, their organizational structure, personnel status, dislocation, as well as the scope of tasks assigned to them. In addition, it shows the cooperation between engineering units and civil contractors at the service of the army (especially in the period preceding the direct involvement of the United States in the war).


Author(s):  
Scott Barnicle

With the demands of the United States Military constantly evolving, it is necessary to think outside of the common battlefield to find a competitive advantage. Aside from tactical and technical advancement in military science and weaponry, the psychological component of warfare and readiness has been given more attention and resources in recent years. While the primary goal of these programs, which are mainly with the US Army and Navy, is to psychologically train soldiers for optimal performance and readiness, the mental health and psychological well-being upon return from deployment is also a top priority. These programs have grown in scope and size over the past 20 years, and with no end in sight of U.S. military responsibilities, the psychological training platforms continue to be a critical component of global military readiness.


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