(2) During daily training activities, the new soldier is subjected to a variety of
exposures that may produce respiratory infections. Most of these respiratory infections
are acquired while indoors in billets, classrooms, dayrooms, and recreation halls. While
in training, the recruit spends the majority of his time within the billet in close association
with others from all over the United States. Such an environment offers many
opportunities for a susceptible individual to acquire infections.
(3) At the present time, there is no way to prevent all of the respiratory
diseases among military personnel.
2-8.
OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND TROOP HOUSING
a. Other common diseases spread by poor housing conditions are
gastrointestinal infections and skin diseases.
b. Overburdened latrine facilities and poor personal hygiene are the two basic
reasons for the spread of intestinal diseases. These reasons are related. Too great a
burden on latrine facilities makes careful personal hygiene difficult; this results in a
higher rate of gastrointestinal diseases.
c. Skin infections (such as athlete's foot) and infestations (such as crab lice) are
spread by poor personal hygiene and carelessness on the part of individual soldiers.
d. As with respiratory diseases, the occurrence of skin and gastrointestinal
diseases can be reduced, but not completely eliminated, through control measures.
2-9.
CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN TROOP-HOUSING
As discussed in paragraphs 2-7 and 2-8, the spread of communicable diseases
among soldiers can be controlled. For this purpose, the Army has regulations
governing the construction of troop billets. These regulations function to limit
communicable disease outbreaks. An inspector must determine that a post is carrying
out these controls. The primary controls are:
b. Adequate ventilation.
c. Adequate dust control.
d. Adequate latrine facilities.
e. Cleanliness of clothing and bedding.
f. Adequate building repair.
MD0164
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