The influenza epidemic that has been battering the United States has had little effect on the nation's military. That may be due, in large part, to the extremely high flu vaccination rate in all five services. The Department of Defense is also responsible for healthcare for many military dependents and for many military retirees, and those illness rates are also below civilian levels. This is in marked contrast to the pandemic influenza outbreak of 2009-10 that resulted in hundreds of illnesses in active duty military and forces postponement of some missions due to widespread illness.
2012-2013 Influenza Epidemic
The Jan. 24 Influenza Surveillance Summary from the Department of Defense shows that 96 percent of all active duty military personnel have been vaccinated for influenza this year. The Air Force and Coast Guard report a vaccination rate of 98 percent, the Army 97 percent, the Navy 94 percent and the Marine Corps is reporting a vaccination rate of 90 percent. Three active duty soldiers have had to be hospitalized this flu season, according to the Army. Worldwide, the various strains of influenza in circulation remain similar to those found by the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. civilian population except in Africa. The Army hospital in Kenya has detected only influenza B strains in central Africa and no influenza in east Africa. The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center noted in a Jan. 15 report that influenza-like illness rates in non-military patients treated in the military health network are not beyond those expected in a moderately severe influenza season.
2009-2012 Pandemic Influenza
The U.S. military began vaccinating for pandemic H1N1 influenza in October 2009. Prior to that point, the military experienced a high level of flu illnesses and related hospitalizations, especially in young people. Both serving military personnel and dependents were affected. Between April 1, 2009, and June 25, 2009, the military treated 1,327 pandemic flu cases, including 722 in active duty personnel and 31 in recruits. Median ages for all patients were significantly lower than those expected for seasonal influenza patients. The USS Dubuque was pulled from a mission on May 5 due to an influenza outbreak aboard the ship. In August, the Defense Department reported that Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany had a cluster of pandemic flu cases in its patients that were acquired in the hospital.
2009 Air Force Academy Outbreak
In June 2009, 1,376 cadets reported to the Air Force Academy. A pandemic flu outbreak over the next month resulted in 134 confirmed and 33 suspected illnesses from pandemic flu. This outbreak is among the most studied in modern times. Studies confirmed a number of suspicions about the spread of influenza, including the fact that the virus was still being shed by patients up to a week after the illness began.
The current influenza season does not seem to be impacting the United States military in the way that pandemic influenza did. The military healthcare system has vaccinated the vast majority of active duty personnel, and illnesses seem to be at or below expected rates among dependents and retirees.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-military-little-affected-flu-epidemic-174500746.html
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