Undifferentiated febrile illnesses in South Sudan: A case series from Operation TRENTON from June to August 2017

Jason S. Biswas; J. Lentaigne; D. S. Burns; J. C. Osborne; A. J. Simpson; E. J. Hutley; N. E. Hill; M. S. Bailey

doi:10.1136/jramc-2019-001238

Undifferentiated febrile illnesses in South Sudan: A case series from Operation TRENTON from June to August 2017

Jason S. Biswas^*, J. Lentaigne, D. S. Burns, J. C. Osborne, A. J. Simpson, E. J. Hutley, N. E. Hill, M. S. Bailey

^*Corresponding author for this work

Porton Emerging Infections & Zoonosis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Undifferentiated febrile illnesses present diagnostic and treatment challenges in the Firm Base, let alone in the deployed austere environment. We report a series of 14 cases from Operation TRENTON in South Sudan in 2017 that coincided with the rainy season, increased insect numbers and a Relief in Place. The majority of patients had headaches, myalgia, arthralgia and back pain, as well as leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. No diagnoses could be made in theatre, despite a sophisticated deployed laboratory being available, and further testing in the UK, including next-generation sequencing, was unable to establish an aetiology. Such illnesses are very likely to present in tropical environments, where increasing numbers of military personnel are being deployed, and clinicians must be aware of the non-specific presentation and treatment, as well as the availability of Military Infection Reachback services to assist in the management of these cases.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	358-361
Number of pages	4
Journal	BMJ Military Health
Volume	167
Issue number	5
Early online date	23 Sept 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2019-001238
Publication status	Published - 27 Sept 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Open Access: No Open Access licence.

Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Citation: Biswas JS, Lentaigne J, Burns DS, et al. Undifferentiated febrile illnesses in South Sudan: a case series from Operation TRENTON from June to August 2017. BMJ Mil Health. 2021;167:358-361.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2019-001238

Keywords

South Sudan
disease and non-battle injuries
fever of unknown origin
military personnel

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abstract = "Undifferentiated febrile illnesses present diagnostic and treatment challenges in the Firm Base, let alone in the deployed austere environment. We report a series of 14 cases from Operation TRENTON in South Sudan in 2017 that coincided with the rainy season, increased insect numbers and a Relief in Place. The majority of patients had headaches, myalgia, arthralgia and back pain, as well as leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. No diagnoses could be made in theatre, despite a sophisticated deployed laboratory being available, and further testing in the UK, including next-generation sequencing, was unable to establish an aetiology. Such illnesses are very likely to present in tropical environments, where increasing numbers of military personnel are being deployed, and clinicians must be aware of the non-specific presentation and treatment, as well as the availability of Military Infection Reachback services to assist in the management of these cases. ",

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author = "Biswas, {Jason S.} and J. Lentaigne and Burns, {D. S.} and Osborne, {J. C.} and Simpson, {A. J.} and Hutley, {E. J.} and Hill, {N. E.} and Bailey, {M. S.}",

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Undifferentiated febrile illnesses in South Sudan: A case series from Operation TRENTON from June to August 2017

Abstract

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Keywords

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