Threat Surveillance
In the News
- Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes of Patients With Severe or Life-threatening COVID-19 at a Military Treatment Facility–A Descriptive Cohort Study (Feb 21, 2021)
- Magnificent Seven (Feb 4, 2021)
- Complex Mission, Clear Results (Jan 13, 2021)
- USAMMDA's Force Health Protection Division implements COVID-19 treatment protocol across multiple sites (Aug 17, 2020)
- USAMMDA Announces Agreement with Gilead Sciences to Provide Investigational New Drug for Warfighters Exposed to Coronavirus Disease (Mar 2020)
USAMMDA’s Force Health Protection Division (FHP) investigational new drug (IND) products often depend on early detection and identification of natural or man-made threats for optimal use. Threat surveillance provides this information to FHP and is accomplished in a variety of ways using several resources.
FHP maintains liaisons both within the DOD and with civilian agencies in the U.S. Government. Frequent interactions with both military and civilian epidemiologists, infectious disease physicians, veterinarians and other health professionals globally who monitor outbreaks and their consequences allows valuable sharing of information across a wide spectrum of specialists to hone in on viable threats.
Threat surveillance enabled FHP to recognize the potential Ebola outbreak in West Africa in early March 2014, prior to the official declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 23, 2014. These surveillance activities allowed FHP leadership the ability to start course of action development in preparation for the global and U.S. military response following the WHO declaration later in the month. This allowed FHP to prepare for rapid operationalization of support activities efficiently.
Threat surveillance enabled FHP to monitor the initial cases of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Continued surveillance identified the rapid spread of cases of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and beginning of the associated global pandemic that has affected over 200 countries worldwide. Due to the continued biosurveillance, FHP was able to pivot and provide treatment options to the warfighter within a few weeks of the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As of March 2021, FHP has provided treatment to over 2150 patients so far worldwide.
External Links
Medical Surveillance Monthly Report:
https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Combat-Support/Armed-Forces-Health-Surveillance-Branch/Reports-and-Publications/Medical-Surveillance-Monthly-Report
WHO's The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER):
https://www.who.int/wer/en/
Email: usarmy.detrick.medcom-usammda.mbx.force-health-protection@mail.mil