Epidemiology

The purpose of the Epidemiology section is to assist in communicable disease prevention and control. Disease transmission is controlled through patient interviews, disease investigations, patient education and community outreach programs. We investigate disease outbreaks and advise professionals on control measures. Our team facilitates the testing of ticks who bite humans to ensure swift treatment of endemic diseases like Lyme and tick-borne encephalitis. We also manage Ramstein Air Base as a sentinel site for the Influenza program.

Community Health

Air Force Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology programs are community health programs. Public Health activities monitor disease and injury incidence to identify departure from background, or not “normal,” rates. When outbreaks of disease or clusters of injury are identified, public health functions to investigate these occurrences, identify risk factors, and implement effective interventions. Surveillance and epidemiology also function to inform, evaluate and validate outcomes of public health policy.

Entomology

The objectives of the medical entomology program are to prevent pest and disease vectors of medical importance from adversely affecting military operations and the health and well-being of military personnel, and to promote and support military readiness, installation program planning, and integrated pest management. Public Health establishes a risk-based program to evaluate community and location-specific medically important pests and vector-borne diseases, incorporating local, civilian health department data to supplement installation data, as necessary.