Infectious diseases, transmitted by either contact with body fluids or through a vector, is an important consideration for military operations. From time-to-time, outbreaks occur when the number of disease cases exceeds typical levels, and sometimes these diseases can spread to other regions not commonly prone to these pathogens. Recently, the level of concern over a number of active, emerging diseases has increased for the global community. Although there are thousands of different types of infections worldwide, three of recent note stand out as being the most relevant to the DoD: Ebola, Zika Virus, and Yellow Fever.
The Department of Defense devotes resources for detection, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases for civilians and military personnel. This Tech Talk focuses on military functions during an outbreak and some of the unprecedented operations in response to infectious diseases.