Malaria Risk Assessment and Preventive Recommendations: A New Approach for the Canadian Military

Abstract

Western militaries deploying to international locations are often confronted with the threat of malaria. For the Canadian military, the consequent response has been prescriptive-any risk of malaria warrants use of personal protective measures and chemoprophylaxis. In reality, however, malaria risk is highly variable and a one-size-fits-all strategy to mitigation may not be appropriate. In line with this, the Canadian military has revised its approach to malaria risk assessment and preventive response. More effort is now spent on predictive modeling and, where risk is deemed to be low, chemoprophylaxis may not be recommended. We describe here an application of the revised methodology to the recent Canadian military deployment to Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

Risk Assessment and Prevention of Malaria Among Italian Troops in Afghanistan, 2002 to 2011

“…About this matter, a predictive modeling suggested that the risk of malaria among Canadian forces in Afghanistan was similar or even lower than the expected incidence of SAEs for some chemoprophylactic regimens, particularly mefloquine; hence the discontinuation. 34 Another important issue is the use of primaquine terminal prophylaxis. This procedure seems to be prescribed only within several coalition contingents.…”

Global water quality changes posing threat of increasing infectious diseases, a case study on malaria vector Anopheles stephensi coping with the water pollutants using age-stage, two-sex life table method

“…The importance of this issue is understood by considering the fact that malaria incidence rate and its management can be assessed by the mathematical model such as "basic reproductive rate" ( R 0 ) [ 80 ] which has been used for the malaria risk assessment. R 0 is calculated using the formula [ 80 ].…”

“…The importance of this issue is understood by considering the fact that malaria incidence rate and its management can be assessed by the mathematical model such as "basic reproductive rate" ( R 0 ) [ 80 ] which has been used for the malaria risk assessment. R 0 is calculated using the formula [ 80 ]. This is very important to note that changes in the life table parameters affect the density ( m ) and probability of living ( p ) of Anopheles mosquitoes, the two most important components of the disease reproduction rate ( R 0 ).…”

Prevention of Infectious Diseases during Military Deployments: A Review of the UAE Armed Forces Experience

“…Second, living places on the camp are sealed to vectors (mosquito nets and frequent spraying insecticides). Third, establish a larval source management in the camps and local area surrounding of the camps that had been considered the most important step to fight vector-borne disease [48,49]. For example, military camps are not living at an isolated location from the local community.…”