Page 124 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2014

Table 1 Immunization Requirements for SOF Personnel Deploying to Africa 2
Immunization Requirement Notes
Yellow fever Within 10 years of date of deployment Must be administered at least 10 days prior to
arrival in Africa. Must be documented on CDC
731 Yellow Shot Record with official Yellow Fever
certificate stamp, card must be carried on person.
Tetanus/diphtheria/ 1 time dose of Tdap, receive tetanus
acellular pertussis (Tdap) if more than 10 years since Tdap or
tetanus booster
Varicella Documentation of one of the following: born before
1980, documented history of disease by laboratory
confirmation, sufficient varicella titer,
or administration of two doses of vaccine
Polio, inactivated Single adult booster; if travelling to Must be documented on CDC 731
polio vaccine Cameroon, must have documentation of
additional booster 4 to 12 months prior
to departure from country
Seasonal influenza Annual
Hepatitis A Completed series or documented Required for third country and local national
immunity through titer personnel employed by US forces
Hepatitis B Completed series or documented
immunity through titer
Rabies Completed series, boosters administered Pre-exposure vaccination required for veterinary
when titers indicate personnel, military working dog handlers, animal
control personnel, security personnel, SOF, and
SOF enablers
Meningococcal Every 5 years
Note: CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; SOF, Special Operations Forces.

Vector-borne Disease Personal Protective Measures
The simplest, yet most effective, technique for preventing
mosquito-borne diseases is the prevention of mosquito
bites. Measures include the use of N,N- diethyl-meta-
toluamide (DEET)-based insect repellents (at least 33%)
on exposed skin (Figure 1), sleeping under a permethrin- Figure 1
treated bed net (Figure 2), wearing long pants and long N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide
sleeves during hours of peak mosquito activity, and treat- (DEET).
ing uniforms and clothing with permethrin. While this
seems obvious, mission profiles often dictate modified
uniforms or even civilian attire. Long sleeves and long
pants, preferably impregnated with permethrin, provide
the best protection and should be encouraged whether
in uniform or casual wear. Insect repellant containing
DEET is safe and effective and ample stock should be
accounted for in unit packing lists. Figure 2 Permethrin-treated pop-up bed net.

Select Diseases of Significance

Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness caused by a parasite
that infects red blood cells. An estimated 207 million
cases of malaria occurred worldwide in 2012 resulting
in an estimated 627,000 deaths. Approximately 90%
occur in sub-Saharan Africa and (87%) of the African
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114 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 14, Edition 4/Winter 2014