A collaborative research project between the University of Prishtina and the U.S. Army is identifying ticks and other organisms that may carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites harmful to soldiers and the population in the area surrounding Camp "Bondsteel."

The project is being implemented on the ground by the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU - EURAFCENT) and the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine from the University of Prishtina.

NAMRU - EURAFCENT, headquartered in Naples, Italy, is a U.S. Navy research institute specializing in infectious diseases. Its research initiatives span public health protection across Eastern Europe, Central and Southeast Asia, North and West Africa, and throughout the Middle East.

The scientific leads for this research collaboration are Dr. Matthew Montgomery from the U.S. Army and Professor Kurtesh Sherifi from the University of Prishtina.

According to Professor Sherifi, approximately 2,000 tick samples have already been identified within Camp "Bondsteel" and its surrounding areas. Laboratory analyses will determine whether these ticks carry viruses or bacteria that pose a threat to human health.

In Kosova, limited areas in the municipality of Malisheva and, less frequently, in other municipalities are known zones where ticks may transmit the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. These parasitic creatures are also carriers of the encephalitis virus, an infection that can damage the brain, and the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, manifesting as fever, headaches, and extreme fatigue.

Following the tick studies, the project—conducted by the U.S. Army's medical component and the Veterinary Medicine Department at the University of Prishtina—aims to identify other disease-causing agents, including those transmitted by mosquitoes, within Camp "Bondsteel."