The military doctor told why soldiers on the front line of the NMD should be afraid of mice

Living conditions in the trenches on the front lines have always been and remain extremely difficult. The special military operation was no exception. There are many factors contributing to the occurrence of ailments: cold, rain, stress, unsanitary conditions, and also … field mice. A tactical medic of one of the special forces, in an interview with MK, told what diseases military personnel in the combat zone may encounter.

– Mice are really a big problem. Since it was very problematic to carry out agricultural work in the war zone, it is clear that somewhere the grain crops were not harvested on time, or not harvested at all. The mice have bred.

The common field mouse is the main carrier of tularemia (an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It affects the skin, mucous membranes, lungs, intestines, eyes and lymph nodes. Symptoms are fever, intoxication, apathy, body aches, nausea. – “MK” ) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). This is a viral disease that occurs against the background of high intoxication with fever, fever and kidney damage. Infection occurs in a domestic way: a person can eat food that mice ran over, leaving their excrement nearby, and you can also become infected by inhaling dust with particles of rodent vital activity.

– Are only mice dangerous or are there other animals whose neighborhood is unsafe for humans?

– Mostly mice. Other animals are much less common in the war zone. Tularemia is also carried by hares, rabbits, muskrats, but they are quite shy and do not tend to humans. But mice are the opposite. Sometimes it comes to the fact that they literally walk around sleeping people.

– What are the preventive measures?

– If there are mice in the place where the soldiers spend the night, then you can’t do without mousetraps. It is also necessary to observe the rules of personal and collective hygiene. Do not leave leftovers because they attract animals, do not eat food on which rodents ran, or among which mouse feces were found. Wash your hands and use antiseptics.

– What other diseases are typical for “trench” life?

– Trench foot. This disease is characterized by local frostbite of the legs against the background of a positive, but close to zero temperature in conditions of cramped shoes. Occurs in conditions of positional warfare. The reason is tight, poorly dried shoes and the absence of movement for a long time.

Symptoms are the same as with ordinary frostbite: pain, loss of sensation, pallor of the skin. For prevention purposes, military personnel are advised to prepare shoes for the conditions in which they will have to be. Use various moisture protective sprays and waxes. And also regularly dry the shoes, use normal socks, possibly thermal socks, do not lace up the berets tightly.

If a person is forced to stay in one place for a long time without moving, then if possible, you need to periodically take off your shoes, dry them and stretch your legs, if there is no way to take off your shoes, then at least just constantly move your toes. If, however, frostbite has occurred, then in this case, an already defined treatment algorithm is needed.

Due to a decrease in immunity, all wounds, abrasions, scratches begin to inflame. The main prevention here is personal hygiene: cut your nails, wash your hands and feet. Any, even the most trifling scratches require processing. Do not neglect this.

Another characteristic disease is pneumonia. Unfortunately, soldiers in the trenches are very susceptible to it. The reason is tight, wet clothes. A person himself sometimes does not notice how sick. For example, fighters came from the march, sweaty, hot, there was nowhere to dry things. They go dry like that. In summer, thanks to insolation, the situation is better, but the autumn and spring periods with constant humidity and dirt are very dangerous for health.

In general, it must be understood that stressful situations, and military operations and life in the trenches are precisely such, lead to the exacerbation of all chronic diseases that a person has.