Health hazards in Democratic Republic of Congo on the example of Polish soldiers in the stabilization mission EUFOR
Korzeniewski, K.
Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski Organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego 24(143): 414-418
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 1426-9686 PMID: 18634384 Document Number: 617963
The aim of the study was to assess health hazards in Democratic Republic of Congo on the ground of diseases and traumas incidence among soldiers of Polish Military Contingent served in the stabilization mission EUFOR. Epidemiological analysis was based on the medical documentation of patients treated from June to December 2006. The main health problem among Polish soldiers were gastrointestinal tract diseases (56,0% of all diseases and traumas), respiratory tract (22,9%) and skin diseases (7,4%). Among them acute diarrheas were dominated (they appeared in case of 98 soldiers in 126 examined population). The laboratory examination of homebound Polish soldiers showed pathological results in case of 81 people. Among them, 44 patients had certified the prevalence of Yersinia antibodies IgM--2 people, and IgG--42 people (Y enterocolica or Y pseudotuberculosis). Bacteriological examination of stool in direction of Yersinia spp. was negative. Laboratory examination of Yersinia antibodies before departure of Polish soldiers to Congo was not performed, so it is impossible to certify if infection of yersiniasis appeared in Poland or during military mission abroad. Among any homebound soldiers of Polish Military Contingent contagious or parasitic disease was recorded.