INTRODUCTION JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS QE) virus causes an endemic and epidemic zoonotic disease with a simple life cycle. The typical reservoir is pigs, though horses and dogs were also found to have seroconverted to the virus in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea where the disease has probably emerged from being epizootic to enzooticu. Adreit birds… Read more »
ABSTRACT ONLY ONE VACCINE AGAINST JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS is available for use in Australia. Other vaccines in Asia have supplanted this vaccine. Some vaccines used in Asia, however, would not be acceptable in Australia. A number of candidates are in clinical development based on more efficient platforms and cleaner production lines. The ADF is involved in… Read more »
ABSTRACT THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE (ADF) is currently maintaining large numbers of soldiers including aviators in malarious areas of East Timor for peacekeeping duties. The only approved malaria chemo suppressive agent for this group is doxycycline with primaquine post-exposure prophylaxis for vivax malaria. Aircrews are suspended from flying duties for the period of the post-exposure… Read more »
ABSTRACT THIS IS A REPORT OF A CASE OF MALARIA in which the patient presumably inadvertently partially treated an undiagnosed episode of malaria before presenting with a probable relapse of the initial episode. It is presented for discussion with military health professionals who may see such cases. CASE HISTORY THE PATIENT WAS A MALE 80-kilogram… Read more »
SIX AUSTRALIAN BATTALIONS have served in East Timor since the beginning of the International Force in East Timor (InterFET) and transition to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). Whilst many other Australian Defence Force (ADF) Units have also served with InterFET and UNTAET forces, this paper will be limited to discussing the… Read more »
Abstract In the tropics of Australia, the Royal Australian Navy operates two permanent bases and conducts a large number of operations. Despite an overall incidence of melanoma not significantly different to that of the general Australian population (Standardised Incident Ratio, SIR = 149, p>0.05), older members of the RAN (SIR = 236, aged >29 years)… Read more »
Abstract The use of Biken Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine (JE-Vax) by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for service personnel deploying to JE endemic areas has consumed a significant proportion of the total ADF vaccine budget. Consideration of the benefit this has provided may be obtained by a cost-benefit study. The risk to ADF personnel in… Read more »
Abstract: ADF medical officers must complete military, military health and civilian GP training to progress to the independently deployable status of Medical Level 3. (ML3). Changes to administration of the Australian General Practice Training program (AGPT) is making recruitment more challenging for medical officers. Budget changes have removed the prevocational GP placement program that supported… Read more »
Abstract The 2000-2005 quinquennium saw a marked drop in the number of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel suffering from malaria following the deployment of an Australian Army Malaria Institute (AMI) outbreak investigation team to Timor Leste and improved compliance with various prevention measures. The field evaluation of novel drug regimens using currently registered and new… Read more »
Abstract During the 1995-2000 quinquennium, the Army Malaria Research Unit (AMRU) was re-named the Australian Army Malaria Institute (AMI) and re-located from Sydney to a modern purpose-built facility in Brisbane. Its international recognition as a centre of excellence for malaria research was further enhanced by the establishment of a molecular parasitology laboratory to investigate drug… Read more »
In the tropics of Australia, the Royal Australian Navy operates two permanent bases and conducts a large number of operations. Despite an overall incidence of melanoma not significantly different to that of the general Australian population (Standardised Incident Ratio, SIR = 149, p>0.05), older members of the RAN (SIR = 236, aged >29 years) and… Read more »
Dengue Global Epidemiology Dengue continues to be a global disease, more so than prior to 2000. In the Americas, cases have become more numerous, particularly Dengue 3 infections, with the highest incidence and mortality among adolescents and children1. Since beginning operations in 1999, the European Network on Imported Infectious Disease Surveillance (TropNetEurop) has detected an… Read more »
Reprinted from Australian Military Medicine Volume 9(2): 71-73. Background of Dengue in the South West Pacific Region Dengue has become a world-wide disease with more than 100 million cases per year.1 It is the leading cause of arboviral infection in humans.2 The current global pandemic of dengue arose from the combination of ecological disruption… Read more »
Abstract An essential element for determining suitable risk management strategies for dental emergencies in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is an accurate measurement of that outcome which best reflects those dental visits collectively termed ‘unplanned presentations’. Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the true prevalence of Unscheduled Dental Visits (UDVs) in the… Read more »
Introduction For the newly serving Medical Officer in the ADF (ADF MO), professional progression opportunities are both in rank and in competency level (CL). The requirements for promotion in rank and the means of achieving the requirements are fairly well defined, assessed regularly and supported by the Military infrastructure as the time honoured way of… Read more »
This edition of JMVH focuses on training within theDefence environment.Contributions are international and of international standard.The edition begins with an overall paper by Leggat,Aitken and Seidl regarding the context of postgraduate education for health professionals in the Defence environment. This places the background for the more specific papers regarding important though more narrow aspects of… Read more »
Tri-service post-graduate vocational education in Medicine has not previously been available in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Introduction to Military Medicine (IMM), originally designed as an introduction to the practice of medicine in the military, ran for the first time in 2008 as an on-line postgraduate course in the Master of Public Health (Defence) program… Read more »
Once again JMVH demonstrates the diversity of military medical practice with an array of papers all relevant to those working in health service support to Defence Forces. With somewhat conflicted interest in the paper reporting on Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health Introduction to Military Medicine course, I can testify that this is worthwhile reading… Read more »
Abstract The currently licenced Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine in Australia is now out of production. A live attenuated vaccine (SA14-14-2) currently used in Asia is not being licenced in Australia. Two new vaccines are in development in Australia, though not yet licensed. Researchers in the ADF have participated in both development programs. A program of… Read more »
