Medical Entomology in the U.S. Army: A Historical Perspective

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Medical Entomology in the U.S. Army A
Historical Perspective
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Military Entomology History

• Armies in the field often lived in squalor with
  inadequate shelter, food, and water.
• Many conflicts were brought to a halt not by
  superior force but by insects and the diseases
  they transmit.
• Typhoid fever, louse borne typhus, malaria,
  yellow fever, and diarrheal disease ran rampant
  degrading an armies ability to fight.

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Cause of War Deaths
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Military Entomology History

• Military medical entomology got its start when
  MAJ Walter Reed showed that yellow fever was
  transmitted by mosquitoes.
• With the identification of insects as the cause
  of disease the need to find ways to mitigate
  their impact became a military issue.
• Major William Gorgas was the first to
  successfully control mosquitoes with his efforts
  in Havana and the Panama Canal.

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Military Entomology World War I

• By World War I, the connection between insects
  and disease was well established.
• Entomologists (6-8) were commissioned as officers
  in the Sanitary Corps.
• Over 9,600 cases of malaria occurred in troops
  training in the southern U.S.
• Trench fever and louse-borne typhus were the
  primary arthropod-borne diseases in Europe as
  troops were often infested with lice.

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Army Entomology Between the World Wars

• Sanitary Corps moved to the Organized Reserves
  from Active Duty.
• 14 entomologist were commissioned in the Sanitary
  Corps.
• The War Department recognized the need for
  malaria control and began efforts to develop
  improved control methods and a true malaria
  prophylactic.
• Extensive mosquito control programs were
  initiated in the camps located in the southern
  U.S. to prevent malaria outbreaks in training
  soldiers.

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Army Entomology in World War II

• The prevention and control of malaria in the
  Southern U.S. and in possible overseas areas was
  one of the problems facing the military at the
  beginning of WWII.
• The Army recognized the importance of controlling
  vector-borne disease and began commissioning
  entomologists, with many more serving as enlisted
  soldiers.
• Army entomologists staffed malaria control and
  survey units in the Pacific theater served as
  advisors in all theaters and conducted research
  to develop better methods of control and
  prevention of arthropod-borne disease.

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Arthropod Disease Incidence and Death Rate 1942-45
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Post WWII

• The Army continues to commission entomologists
  with around 60 serving on Active Duty and around
  35 in the Reserves.
• Entomologist serve in many capacities and have
  many unique opportunities.

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Army Entomology Today

• Mission To prevent arthropod-borne disease in
  Soldiers, their families, and other individuals
  for whom the Army is responsible.
• Plan, direct, and evaluate comprehensive
  integrated pest control programs.
• Conduct surveillance for medically important
  pests.
• Identify insects and other zoological specimens.
• Provide disease vector risk assessments for
  geographical areas.

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Recent Disease and non-Battle Injuries Rates
(DNBI)

• 1991 Gulf War 6.5
• OJE (Bosnia) 7.1
• OJG (Kosovo) 8.1
• OEF (Afghanistan) 5
• OIF (Iraq) 4
• Reduction in DNBI rate is a true force
  multiplier. Leads to less demand for healthcare
  and lower requirement for replacements!

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Preventive Medicine Detachments

• Provide support across the entire public health
  spectrum to service members during field
  operations.
• Units composed of 13 soldiers who support a large
  area.
• Entomologist can serve as the Executive Officer
  (XO) or Commander.
• Lieutenant and Captains serve as XOs
• Senior Captains and Majors are Commanders

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Center for Health Promotion and Public Health
(CHPPM)

• CHPPM provides health promotion and public health
  leadership and services in support of the
  Military.
• Entomologists are located at all 6 CHPPM
  locations worldwide.
• Junior entomologists gain valuable experience in
  a variety of entomology areas and provide support
  services to requesting customers.
• Senior entomologist provide experience and
  expertise to customers while mentoring the junior
  entomologists.

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Entomology Teaching

• Entomologists serve as instructors at the
  AMEDDCS where they help train preventive
  medicine technicians, pest control personnel, and
  incoming AMEDD officers.
• Entomologists maybe assigned to the AMEDDCS
  after obtaining experience as an Army
  entomologist.
• Entomologists serve as Assistant Professors at
  the Uniformed Services University of Health
  Sciences where they teach classes to a variety of
  programs that train future military health care
  providers.

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Research

• There are opportunities for Army entomologist to
  conduct research to protect the war fighter from
  arthropod borne-disease threats.

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Staff Positions

• Senior Entomologists (MAJ, LTC, COL) serve on a
  variety of staffs to provide the Commands with
  recommendations on arthropod-borne disease
  threats, personal protective measures, pesticide
  usage, and a variety of other issues.

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Unique Opportunities

• Army entomology is by no means a narrow
  specialty. You will be challenged by unique
  situations
• Providing entomological support during disaster
  relief efforts in both the United States and
  foreign countries.
• Providing technical assistance for civil affairs
  agricultural projects in nation building efforts.
• Assisting in developing vector surveillance and
  pest control programs in developing nations.
• Assisting in an arthropod-borne disease outbreak
  investigation.
• You will be afforded many opportunities expand
  personally and professionally as you meet new
  challenges.

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Questions?