LIMA, Peru – U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) SOUTH published a collection of peer-reviewed articles highlighting the command’s ongoing military medical research efforts in The Journal of Infectious Diseases on February 15.

The articles cover 40 years of NAMRU SOUTH’s medical achievements in infectious disease surveillance, control and prevention in Peru and partner nations in Latin America, with the goal of ensuring U.S. service member readiness, and of reinforcing strategic global alliances.

“The research conducted by NAMRU SOUTH plays a crucial role in detecting and characterizing infectious disease threats that can impact the U.S. warfighter in deployed operations,” said Capt. Michael Prouty, commanding officer for NAMRU SOUTH. “Through the efforts of our dedicated staff, of which 95% are Peruvian nationals, we are able to both maximize service member readiness, and protect the U.S. from emerging infectious diseases. Additionally, through our collaborations with partner nations, we also strengthen these partnerships, enhancing health security for both their military and civilian populations.”

The Journal of Infectious Diseases publishes patient and disease-focused research for scientific audiences, to help translate laboratory science into the clinical and experimental setting. The Journal is produced by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, whose work focuses on research, education and prevention efforts.

NAMRU SOUTH has driven research projects since 1983, when the Peruvian Navy invited the U.S to collaborate on shared health science research objectives.

The command is one of six overseas organizations within the DoD dedicated to the detection, prevention, treatment and preventative measures of infectious disease prevalent in regions where military training, deployments or operations could occur.

“Constant environmental changes contribute to more frequent spread of emerging infectious diseases, potentially threatening DoD’s readiness to achieve and maintain its national defense goals,” explained Dr. Henju Marjuki, chief science officer at NAMRU SOUTH. “The U.S. National Biodefense Strategy recognizes that pathogens are global risks, and that enhancing resilience means strengthening global health defense to protect the nation in the same ways we develop and project conventional defenses.”

NAMRU SOUTH conducts research on a wide range of infectious diseases of military and public health significance, and supports Global Health Engagement through surveillance of those diseases, including dengue fever, malaria, diarrheal diseases and antimicrobial-resistant infections.

NMR&D, led by Naval Medical Research Command, is engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies in austere and remote areas of the world to investigations in operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint U.S. warfighters, enterprise researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, medical modeling, simulation, operational mission support, epidemiology and behavioral sciences.