The malaria threat is tied to the rate of transmission, and in most cases the transmission rate depends on the local mosquito population.During operations in sub-Saharan Africa, where mosquitoes are very effective malaria “vectors,” malaria infection rates among unprotected troops may be expected to approach 100 percent, and if the infected soldiers are American,without prior exposure to tropical diseases, a high percentage will likely suffer acute infections and experience life-threatening complications that require immediate medical evacuation. These realities could easily render a U.S. military force ineffective without a combat engagement ever taking place.
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