Enhanced Camouflage Materials for Insect Protection

Vector borne diseases have posed a significant threat to soldier health in past and present foreign deployments. Currently deployed troops face several severe illnesses such as Leishmaniasis and Sand Fly Fever Virus that are transmitted by insects. There are no prophylactic vaccines available for these diseases. Soldiers must integrate multiple personal protective equipment (PPE) measures to minimize likelihood of infection; however 100% compliance is often not achievable in the battlefield due to several complicating factors. Essential to soldier heath is the rapid deployment of new technologies that reduce the hindrance of PPE measures and enhance protection against insects that transmit disease. In this Phase I project, Infoscitex proposes to develop a new controlled release technology that will repel insects from lightweight camouflage structural netting such as the ULCANS and LCSS. This technology is inexpensive and readily applicable to the civilian population in regions where mortality is high due to the prevalence of vector borne diseases.