Malaria on a military peacekeeping operation: A case study with no cases

Abstract

Background: Malaria continues to be a disease of importance to travelers and the military is no exception. Individual protection measures based on advice, bite avoidance, chemoprophylaxis, and diagnosis are advocated for protection against the disease. However, the military has an additional strand to malaria protection-the chain of command. Aim: To describe the experience of a British military deployment where the Force Commander took a proactive approach to malaria protection. Results: In 512 person-weeks of exposure in a theater with high rates of transmission of malaria, with an enduring threat of asymmetric military action and with a proactive approach by the chain of command to the implementation of malaria protection policy, no malaria cases developed. Conclusion: The chain of command can have a significant impact on compliance with malaria protection measures, which might reduce incidence of the disease in the deployed population. Copyright © by Association of Military Surgeons of U.S., 2005.