THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DERMATOLOGICAL AND VENEREOLOGIC DISEASE IN A DEPLOYED OPERATIONAL SETTING

We studied the epidemiology, morbidity, and etiology of dermatologic a nd non-human immunodeficiency virus venereologic disease (Derm/STD) ab oard a deployed aircraft carrier to revise Derm/STD training objective s for shipboard primary care providers. Onboard supplies for treatment of Derm/STD were also evaluated, Over 3 months, 929 Derm/STD patients were treated for 1,320 diagnoses generating 2,011 visits, Derm/STD ca used 22% of the total morbidity, Pyoderma alone accounted for nearly o ne-half of that morbidity and involved many work-center groups, Air wi ng, aircraft maintenance, and engineering work-center groups had lower burdens of pyoderma, Bacterial cultures were performed on 248 exudati ve dermatoses, Staphylococcus aureus was the dominant pathogen and was overwhelmingly sensitive in vitro to common, inexpensive antibiotics, Strategies to encourage prevention, earlier diagnosis, and rapid trea tment of Derm/STD by deployed primary care providers are discussed.