NAMRU-3 Moves to Sigonella, Italy

LCDR James Harwood, an entomologist with NAMRU-3 is positioning a mosquito surveillance trap with SSgt Danny Lim

CAPT Mashall Monteville (right) following taking command of the Naval Medical Research Unit No. Three

By Cmdr. Dean J. Wagner Executive Officer of NAMRU-3

The newest of Naval Air Station Sigonella’s 38 tenant commands arrived in July, when Capt. Marshall Monteville assumed command of the Naval Medical Research Unit, Number Three. This symbolized the first step in transitioning NAMRU-3 headquarters from Cairo, Egypt to NAS Sigonella. With the arrival of NAMRU-3 comes great expertise in emerging infectious disease research.

“NAMRU-3 looks forward to continuing its important work out of Sigonella,” says Capt. Marshall Monteville, commanding officer of NAMRU-3. “No matter where our HQ functions are located, we will always meet our mission in supporting the health and enhancing lethality of our forces deployed throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.”

The recent decision to relocate the command away from Cairo was made because of the necessary security upgrades that are required for the NAMRU-3 facilities. NAS Sigonella was identified as the most ideal location for headquarter operations, since the “Hub of the Med” is geographically central to the three combatant commands it supports, U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Africa Command.

The command began as the U.S. Typhus Commission in 1942, which was established to develop measures for the prevention, treatment, and control of the disease. Following World War II, the Egyptian government invited the U.S. Navy to continue collaborative studies of endemic tropical and subtropical diseases with Egyptian scientists. In 1946, NAMRU-3 was formally established as a command and based in Cairo. Over the years, NAMRU-3 has made significant contributions in the research and understanding of many infectious diseases, especially for its work with schistosomiasis, Rift Valley fever, and hepatitis.

The mission of NAMRU-3 is to study, monitor, and detect emerging and re-emerging disease threats of military and public health importance as well as develop mitigation strategies against them throughout the U.S. Central, Europe, and Africa Command areas of responsibility. This is accomplished in partnership with host nations and international and U.S. agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. The important work of NAMRU-3 supports the larger Navy mission of force health protection and readiness.

“Even after many years in the fleet, I had no idea that there were such smart and dedicated scientists and technicians who go into austere, and even dangerous, environments every day to ensure Sailors and Marines stay healthy and ready to fight,” said Chief Personnel Specialist Dwayne Smith, the NAMRU-3 senior enlisted leader. “There are many more laboratories around the world who are just as dedicated to the warfighter. This is another small reason why our Navy is the world’s finest.”

NAMRU-3 has a variety of experts, stationed in Sigonella, Cairo, Ghana, and Djibouti, including entomologists, microbiologists, and infectious disease physicians who work together to ensure deployed forces remain lethal and ready to fight. Specific tasks include vector surveillance, where insects such as ticks and mosquitos are collected from the environment or animals and analyzed. The species of insect may provide information on what diseases or pathogens may be circulating in the area. Microbes may also be cultivated and examined from a variety of sources for the same reason.

Many wonder if NAMRU-3 is similar to the CDC. There are some areas of overlap, especially with surveillance and an interest in public health. However, the primary difference is that NAMRU-3 focuses on the health of U.S. military forces and its partners. Of course, what is circulating through the general public is also likely to impact troops in the area, so community health frequently goes hand-in-hand with force health.

NAMRU-3 does partner with the CDC and other organizations frequently. For example, NAMRU-3 provided collaborative research support with the Ministry of Health, CDC, WHO, and U.S. Agency for International Development during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Liberia. The command has also been instrumental in research capacitybuilding initiatives throughout Egypt, West Africa, and the Middle East.

Currently, NAMRU-3 researchers and collaborators are engaged in several areas of basic research, including acute febrile (fever) illnesses, drug resistance in malaria, Dengue fever, and other tropical and subtropical diseases in Egypt, Ghana, Djibouti, Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria, and Jordan. What drives the current research agenda is often the result of surveillance performed by NAMRU-3 scientists as well as discussions with combatant commands and partner nations on what they see as threats. It may also be the result of an outbreak, such as the 2014 Ebola epidemic, or a virus moving through a unit, impacting its ability to deploy or fight.

The command has always been structured as a “hub-and-spoke” model. NAMRU-3 has had a significant permanent presence in Ghana and Djibouti for many years and has deployed personnel to other locations, as required. Cairo also had a significant scientific staff, where research and epidemiology was conducted. With the transition to headquarters operations at NAS Sigonella, the command is maintaining a presence in each of those locations, with much more research and analysis being conducted in the field or in collaboration with partner nations and agencies. This model is working well with NAMRU-2 (Asia), where the headquarters element is located in Singapore and research is conducted in remote places such as Cambodia and Vietnam, Malaysia and Laos.

The staff of NAMRU-3 is currently composed of 10 Officers and Sailors and is one of five commands that are part of a larger Navy and DoD research and development enterprise aimed at optimizing warfighter readiness. In addition to NAMRU – 3, NAMRU-2 is located in Singapore, and NAMRU-6 is located in Lima, Peru. Stateside, there is NAMRU-San Antonio, Texas and NAMRU-Dayton, Ohio.

So next time you see a member of the NAMRU-3 team be sure to give them a hearty welcome to the NAS Sigonella family!