Eye infection misses U.S. bases in Germany (6 German Army bases closed due to virus -- UPDATE)

Stars and Stripes ^ | March 8, 2004 | Lisa Horn

[FairOpinion]

A severe outbreak of a viral eye infection has forced the closure of six German army bases, but German soldiers guarding U.S. bases haven’t been affected, U.S. military officials said.

More than 425 German soldiers have tested positive for epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis, forcing six German bases in Hessen and Rheinland-Palatinate states to temporarily shut their gates, said German army Lt. Col. Walter Hubert Schmidt, spokesman for the German army medical command No. 2.

Spread by physical contact, such as sharing towels or shaking hands, symptoms of the virus take an average of four to 10 days to appear and include red, sore, itchy and watery eyes.

So far, German soldiers manning the gates of U.S. military bases in those regions have been seemingly immune to the disease.

“The guard force has been screened and educated and haven’t seen any evidence of infection among them,” said Lt. Col. Mark Lovell, chief of the department of occupational health and epidemiology at the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine-Europe.

A similar outbreak occurred in 2001, forcing the temporary closure of a base in Wildeshausen in northern Germany. The virus, which infected 130 soldiers, died out several weeks later.

“This is the first time that we’ve had so many soldiers in so many different command posts [infected],” Schmidt said. “This virus is very bad. If you just shake hands with another person that has it, you will get it.”

This particular strain of conjunctivitis cannot be treated with drugs. German army officials hope that a three-week closure will allow base facilities to be thoroughly disinfected and the virus will soon die out.

It is unclear how this virus has spread so quickly, Schmidt said.

Military doctors have theorized that the outbreak began when soldiers from the Germany army casern in Schwarzenborn shared weapons that were later used at the German army training area in Baumholder.

[FairOpinion]

Finally an update from the one and only earlier article Virus closes US army bases in Germany.

The earlier article's title incorrectly mentioned US bases in Germany were closed, it turns out those were German bases, the rest of the article was accurate. But still, having six bases closed for 3 weeks on account of a virus suddenly appearing is definitely odd.

From the earlier article (link above):

"MARBURG - A mysterious viral infection has forced military authorities in Germany to close four bases, ordering nearly 4,000 personnel and their dependents to stay home, authorities said Friday.

The bases Schwalmstadt, Schwarzenborn, Stadtallendorf and Neustadt will be closed for three weeks while the premises are disinfected.

"This is the worst single such infectious situation we've ever had," a Defence Ministry spokesman said Friday."

[FairOpinion]

PING -- finally an update

Eye infection misses U.S. bases in Germany (6 German Army bases closed due to virus -- UPDATE)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1092925/posts

A severe outbreak of a viral eye infection has forced the closure of six German army bases, but German soldiers guarding U.S. bases haven’t been affected, U.S. military officials said.

[Prime Choice]

kerato-conjunctivitis

That brought back a unpleasant memory. I got that when I was in college. It was definitely NO FUN. My eyes swelled shut and itched like HELL...but if I touched the eyelids with more than the edge of a tissue, the pain was excruciating.

Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. That says a lot right there.

[Squantos]

Uveitis outbreak ?

[FairOpinion]

"It is unclear how this virus has spread so quickly, Schmidt said. "


What is very odd about this, is how the virus infected enough soldiers at SIX German military bases, that they actually closed the bases for three weeks. They wouldn't do that, unless it was serious. And when a disease spreads, it starts somewhere, then LATER it appears elsewhere, but it seems like it appeared at those six German military bases simultaneously.

Also:

"A similar outbreak occurred in 2001, forcing the temporary closure of a base in Wildeshausen in northern Germany. The virus, which infected 130 soldiers, died out several weeks later."

Curious, that it happened to be 2001 and that closed ONE base. Now it affected 6 bases.

Terrorist tests?

[GeronL]

Germany is a quagmire!

Remove US troops now!! =o)

[GeronL]

Did these troops just get back from Afghanistan??

[FairOpinion]

Another interesting thing:

"This particular strain of conjunctivitis cannot be treated with drugs. German army officials hope that a three-week closure will allow base facilities to be thoroughly disinfected and the virus will soon die out."

And the three week closure just bothers me. They could disinfect in much less time -- is the entire base infected? They don't fully close military bases -- six of them! -- for some minor problem.

[FairOpinion]

The American troops and American bases haven't been impacted -- these were German bases.

I think if it had been something they brought back from Afghanistan, US troops would have been impacted as well.

[GeronL]

Ya never know.

[FairOpinion]

Update PING.

Apparently US bases were not impacted, but German bases really were/are closed, they seem to have kept it pretty much out of the news.

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

The outbreak reflects on their personal hygene,

.........or lack thereof!

[FairOpinion]

The Germans are fastidiously clean people in general.

Outbreak of a virus, which has no cure in six military bases all at the same time is just not an every day occurrence.

Closing a base must seriously adversely impact readiness, closing six bases must be even more serious.

[endthematrix]

Hey remember back when a person with a cold/flu went to work as campaigner for a rival party? Got people at HQ sick.

[mdmathis6]

Uveitis outbreak ?



what is that?

[billorites]

Spread by eye contact?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Spread by eye contact?

Funny. No. You rub your eyes and everything you touch from that moment on is infected. I've had it. Worse couple of weeks of my life, couldn't read, couldn't go into the sun light and it hurt like crazy.

I suspect that it left me with a permanent sensitivity to bright light.

[billorites]

I've seen bacterial conjunctivitis spread through a pre-school in no time.

At least that can be treated with opthalmic antibiotics.

It's terrible to see a three year old wake up with eyes so crusty that they cannot open them.

[Squantos]

http://home.flash.net/~anmleyz/uveitis.htm

A googleistic explaination for ya......

Stay Safe !