A Preliminary Assessment of Chlamydia and Gonnorhea Infections in the U.S.A. Communities Neighboring Military Installations

• Author: Amit Patel,Arnauld Nicogossian,Michelle Kloc,Naoru Koizumi
• Date: 01 December 2010
• Published date: 01 December 2010
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.2202/1948-4682.1131

World Medical & Health Policy

www.psocommons.org/wmhp

Vol. 2: Iss. 4, Article 15 (2010)

A Preliminary Assessment of

Chlamydia and Gonnorhea Infections in

the U.S.A. Communities Neighboring

Military Installations

Naoru Koizumi, Ph.D., George Mason University

Arnauld Nicogossian, M.D., George Mason University

Amit Patel, M.A., George Mason University

Michelle Kloc, R.N., M.S.N. Ph.D., Altarum Corporation

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among U.S. military personnel and

neighboring communities prior, during, and after deployment are a threat to military

readiness and community health. This pilot study used data from the Virginia

Department of Health. Geographic and spatial pattern analysis of two STIs,

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, were conducted. Of special

interest was the STI spread patterns correlated with locations of military staging

bases, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Higher prevalence rates of STIs were

found in the counties contiguous to military installations.

Keywords: STI, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhea, space–time spread

patterns, military staging bases, September 11, 2001, war on terrorism

Author Notes: Portions of this paper were presented at the Geoinformatics 2009

Conference in Fairfax, Virginia. No other conflict of interest or any financial

contribution was declared by the authors. Corresponding author: Naoru Koizumi,

Ph.D., Assistant Professor, SPP; Associate Director, CSIMPP, George Mason

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