Grinder
12 August 2003, 14:28
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2003 - The U.S. Army is deploying two medical teams
overseas -- one to Germany and the other to Iraq -- to examine a spate of
pneumonia cases within the U.S. Central Command region that apparently killed
two soldiers.
Since March 1, about 100 active duty service members deployed to Southwest Asia
in support of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have come down with
pneumonia, DoD civilian and military medical officials told reporters at a
Pentagon press briefing today.
Army officials noted that 15 service members among the 100 had contracted
severe pneumonia. Among those severe cases, according to an Army Surgeon
General news release, 10 have recovered, two have died, and three remain
hospitalized.
"We are deeply concerned about the (soldiers') deaths," said Dr. David N.
Tornberg, deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical and program
policy. He emphasized that "the health, safety, well-being of our fighting men
and women are of critical . utmost importance to us."
And "we'll spare nothing to safeguard their well-being," declared Tornberg,
accompanied at the briefing by Col. Robert DeFraites from the Army Surgeon
General's Office.
The Army, Tornberg noted, is taking the lead in the investigation, which was
prompted by the soldiers' deaths.
One epidemiological consultation team is heading for a U.S. military hospital
in Landstuhl, Germany, to examine service members being treated there,
DeFraites explained, while the other team is going to Iraq. He said both teams
are en route to their destinations and may arrive as early as Aug. 6.
The two soldiers who died from pneumonia had both served in Iraq and were from
different units, DeFraites noted, pointing out that 10 of the 15 cases of
severe pneumonia had occurred in Iraq, "where the majority of troops are."
He said the other troops stricken with pneumonia within the CENTCOM area of
operations were serving in Kuwait, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
The 15 troops who were treated for severe pneumonia had undergone respirator
treatment to assist breathing, DeFraites noted.
One soldier died in June, he said, and the other in July. Fourteen of the
severe pneumonia cases are soldiers and one is a Marine, he added. One being
treated is a woman.
And of those 15 cases, two occurred in March, two In April, one in May, six in
June, and four in July, DeFraites noted. The last confirmed case of pneumonia,
he noted, was recorded July 30.
However, the exact cause of death of the two soldiers isn't presently known,
DeFraites pointed out. The Army medical teams, he noted, will determine that.
There are two types of pneumonia, DeFraites said: infectious or non-infectious.
Bacteria, fungi or parasites can cause infectious pneumonia, he explained,
while non-infectious pneumonia can be acquired through environmental factors,
such as by breathing in metal-, dust- or smoke-laden air.
Two of the 15 severe cases had the infectious type, DeFraites noted, which he
said was the most common cause of pneumonia in the United States.
American military medical officials, DeFraites pointed out, have ruled out
biological weapons as being a cause of the illnesses.
The colonel noted that 100 or so cases of pneumonia in CENTCOM's area of
operations basically tracks with historical norms, given the size of the force.
More than 160,000 service members are deployed in and around Southwest Asia
supporting Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
For example, he noted, every year the Army experiences between 400 and 500
cases of pneumonia worldwide.
"That's fairly standard, as surprising as it may seem," DeFraites observed,
noting, "otherwise healthy young adults still do get pneumonia in the Army." He
noted that 17 soldiers have died from pneumonia in the past five years.
The post-mortem reports for the two deceased soldiers - which will be factored
into the investigation -- probably won't be completed for at least a week to 10
days, DeFraites said.
He noted that the patients' names wouldn't be released because of privacy
issues.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2003 - The U.S. Army is deploying two medical teams
overseas -- one to Germany and the other to Iraq -- to examine a spate of
pneumonia cases within the U.S. Central Command region that apparently killed
two soldiers.
Since March 1, about 100 active duty service members deployed to Southwest Asia
in support of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have come down with
pneumonia, DoD civilian and military medical officials told reporters at a
Pentagon press briefing today.
Army officials noted that 15 service members among the 100 had contracted
severe pneumonia. Among those severe cases, according to an Army Surgeon
General news release, 10 have recovered, two have died, and three remain
hospitalized.
"We are deeply concerned about the (soldiers') deaths," said Dr. David N.
Tornberg, deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical and program
policy. He emphasized that "the health, safety, well-being of our fighting men
and women are of critical . utmost importance to us."
And "we'll spare nothing to safeguard their well-being," declared Tornberg,
accompanied at the briefing by Col. Robert DeFraites from the Army Surgeon
General's Office.
The Army, Tornberg noted, is taking the lead in the investigation, which was
prompted by the soldiers' deaths.
One epidemiological consultation team is heading for a U.S. military hospital
in Landstuhl, Germany, to examine service members being treated there,
DeFraites explained, while the other team is going to Iraq. He said both teams
are en route to their destinations and may arrive as early as Aug. 6.
The two soldiers who died from pneumonia had both served in Iraq and were from
different units, DeFraites noted, pointing out that 10 of the 15 cases of
severe pneumonia had occurred in Iraq, "where the majority of troops are."
He said the other troops stricken with pneumonia within the CENTCOM area of
operations were serving in Kuwait, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
The 15 troops who were treated for severe pneumonia had undergone respirator
treatment to assist breathing, DeFraites noted.
One soldier died in June, he said, and the other in July. Fourteen of the
severe pneumonia cases are soldiers and one is a Marine, he added. One being
treated is a woman.
And of those 15 cases, two occurred in March, two In April, one in May, six in
June, and four in July, DeFraites noted. The last confirmed case of pneumonia,
he noted, was recorded July 30.
However, the exact cause of death of the two soldiers isn't presently known,
DeFraites pointed out. The Army medical teams, he noted, will determine that.
There are two types of pneumonia, DeFraites said: infectious or non-infectious.
Bacteria, fungi or parasites can cause infectious pneumonia, he explained,
while non-infectious pneumonia can be acquired through environmental factors,
such as by breathing in metal-, dust- or smoke-laden air.
Two of the 15 severe cases had the infectious type, DeFraites noted, which he
said was the most common cause of pneumonia in the United States.
American military medical officials, DeFraites pointed out, have ruled out
biological weapons as being a cause of the illnesses.
The colonel noted that 100 or so cases of pneumonia in CENTCOM's area of
operations basically tracks with historical norms, given the size of the force.
More than 160,000 service members are deployed in and around Southwest Asia
supporting Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
For example, he noted, every year the Army experiences between 400 and 500
cases of pneumonia worldwide.
"That's fairly standard, as surprising as it may seem," DeFraites observed,
noting, "otherwise healthy young adults still do get pneumonia in the Army." He
noted that 17 soldiers have died from pneumonia in the past five years.
The post-mortem reports for the two deceased soldiers - which will be factored
into the investigation -- probably won't be completed for at least a week to 10
days, DeFraites said.
He noted that the patients' names wouldn't be released because of privacy
issues.