U.S. military public health surveillance and response to pandemic influenza A (H1N1).

Recent papers have highlighted the role of military medicine in influenza detection and control. 1 Owens A.B. Canas L.C. Russell K.L. et al. Department of Defense Global Laboratory-Based Influenza Surveillance: 1998–2005. Am J Prev Med. 2009; 37: 235-241 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (22) Google Scholar , 2 Kelley P.W. A commentary on the military role in global influenza surveillance. Am J Prev Med. 2009; 37: 260-261 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar , 3 Witkop C.T. Duffy M.R. Macias E.A. et al. Novel Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak at the U.S. Air Force Academy: epidemiology and viral shedding duration. Am J Prev Med. 2010; 38: 121-126 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (79) Google Scholar This is appropriate given the substantial part military populations have historically played in the global epidemiology of acute respiratory infections. Since the introduction of novel (pandemic strain) H1N1 influenza in North America in spring 2009, descriptive reports in the general medical literature have emphasized civilian populations, the civilian healthcare system, and supporting laboratories. 4 Dawood F.S. Jain S. Finelli L. et al. Emergence of a novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus in humans. N Engl J Med. 2009; 360: 2605-2615 Crossref PubMed Scopus (2728) Google Scholar Given this, the authors felt a brief update on the Department of Defense (DoD) role in influenza surveillance and response might be informative.