Courtesy Photo | 250513-N-N1574-1002 JACKSONVILLE, Fl. (May 13, 2025) Lt. John So, assigned to Navy...... read more read more
JACKSONVILLE, FL – In an innovative and ambitious initiative, the U.S. Navy is turning to an unexpected ally in the battle against emerging microbial threats: the common house fly. Under the leadership of Cmdr. (Dr.) Theron Hamilton, Officer in Charge (AOIC) of the Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE), a groundbreaking three-year project is utilizing these ubiquitous insects as living sentinels to monitor existing and emerging microbial dangers to U.S. military personnel worldwide.
This complex undertaking, a Global Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance (GEIS) initiative, has leveraged sophisticated project management methodologies and tools provided by NMFL Improvement Sciences (IS). Cmdr. Hamilton, a trailblazer in his own right, is the first NAVMED student to progress through the new NAVMED Project Management Certification Program, having previously completed NAVMED’s 5-day Project Management course (PMPE). His successful completion of this project, alongside another ongoing endeavor, will earn him both the NAVMED PM Certification and the prestigious Navy PM AQD (Additional Qualification Designation) Code.
The project, a collaborative effort involving NECE’s Dr. Jason Blanton (Battelle Memorial Institute), NECE’s laboratory staff, and partners at the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit (ABADRU) led by Dr. Dana Nayduch, employs cutting-edge next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. This advanced technique allows researchers to analyze the diverse array of microorganisms that house flies collect during their foraging activities.
House flies, notorious for thriving in microbe-rich environments and attracted to waste products, are uniquely positioned to serve as biological samplers. As they consume various decaying materials, they accumulate and harbor a wide range of bacteria and viruses within their digestive tracts. NECE staff and their partners strategically collect flies on or near military installations globally, then utilize NGS coupled with computational bioinformatics to identify circulating microorganisms at these sites and in areas where personnel are deployed.
A critical aspect of this research is its ability to detect antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial species. These "superbugs" pose a significant and growing threat to U.S. force health protection, as conventional antibiotics are often ineffective against them. Battlefield injuries, for instance, are notoriously susceptible to MDR organisms, being at least 5.5 times more likely to be infected than non-battle injuries. Tracking the existence and spread of these resistant microbes is paramount to safeguarding military personnel.
Beyond identifying known threats, the project also has the capacity to pinpoint microbes novel to specific geographic regions, potentially signaling new and unforeseen dangers that medical personnel might encounter. Phase One of the project successfully processed and analyzed samples previously collected around Fort Riley in Manhattan, Kansas, serving as a crucial proof-of-concept for the entire program. Building on this success, Phase Two has seen the team expand its collection efforts to several CONUS locations and within AFRICOM, including Djibouti, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The lessons learned from Phase One have led to refinements and improvements in both wet lab and computational processes for Phase Two specimens.
This proactive "detect-and-prevent" strategy marks a significant shift from the traditional "react-and-treat" approach, enabling early identification of potential disease outbreaks before widespread illness occurs. With the assistance of NIS management tools, NECE has accelerated the generation of critical datasets, which are immediately reported to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and broadcast to all DoD partners.
Furthermore, advanced computational modeling using this data has led to the development of novel and user-friendly "Risk Maps," completed two months ahead of schedule. The ongoing refinement of these Risk Maps will be the project's culminating product, providing commanders with actionable force health protection data related to microbial risks within and around deployment areas. This innovative approach, spearheaded by Cmdr. Hamilton, promises to significantly enhance the military's ability to protect its forces from the ever-evolving landscape of microbial threats.
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2025 15:00 |
| Story ID: | 499326 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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