Respiratory diseases among US military personnel: Countering emerging threats

Emerging respiratory disease agents, increased antibiotic resistance, and t he loss of effective vaccines threaten to increase the incidence of respira tory disease in military personnel. We examine six respiratory pathogens (a denoviruses, influenza viruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyo genes, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis) and review the impa ct of the diseases they cause, past efforts to control these diseases in U. S. military personnel, as well as current treatment and surveillance strate gies, limitations in diagnostic testing, and vaccine needs.