Military medicine
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This report summarizes an outbreak of measles among five unvaccinated children living in a U. S. military community in Wiesbaden, Germany, in March to April of 2004. The index case was a 3-year-old whose parents' refusal to have their child vaccinated with measles-containing vaccine had been documented many times. ⋯ Record review revealed that only 71% of 19- to 35-month olds in the community had been vaccinated with measles-containing vaccine before the outbreak, creating a "pocket of susceptibility." Children of travelers, expatriates, and military service members are at increased risk from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine refusal is increasingly common, resulting in pockets of susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases, and increasing the risk of outbreaks. Missed opportunities and other delays in vaccination can also contribute to these pockets of susceptibility.
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Brugada syndrome describes a subgroup of patients at risk for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and sudden cardiac death and is likely underdiagnosed among aviators. ⋯ Symptomatic patients displaying type 1 Brugada ECG (spontaneous or after sodium channel blockade) should receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and must be permanently disqualified. The Aeromedical Consultation Service should review all cases of Brugada syndrome and render a return to fly for asymptomatic nondiagnostic Brugada types.