Frostbite among Iraqi soldiers during Iraqi-Iranian war

Abstract

Background: Frostbite is a cold weather injury characterized by tissue freezing. It can adversely impact military operations. This study was carried out to demonstrate the
frostbite among Iraqi -Iranian war.
Materials: The over surveillance period was 1st Dec. 1987 to 1st March 1988. A form was tilled for each affected soldier. All cases were followed till Dec. 1988.
Results: The reported frostbite cases were 10 000 cases. The rate was of 100 cases per 100 000 person - year. The foot was the most affected site. High frostbite cases were reported
during the active military operations.
Conclusion: Education, acclimatization and strict enforcement of cold weather injury preventive measures arc necessary in military services.