Gulf War illnesses: complex medical, scientific and political paradox

Gulf War illnesses are a collection of disorders that for the most part can be diagnosed and treated, if effective programmes exist to assist veterans, and in some cases their immediate family members. Although these illnesses are complex and have multi-organ signs and symptoms, a proportion of these patients can be identified as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and/or Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). Although there are many possible causes of CSF/ME/FMS, chronic infections can explain, at least in a subset of patients, the apparent transmission of these illnesses to family members and the appearance of chronic, multi-organ and auto-immune signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, many veterans who have been diagnosed with chronic infections, such as mycoplasmal infections, cannot obtain adequate treatment for their condition, resulting in their reliance on private physicians and clinics for assistance. This lack of response may ultimately be responsible for the transmission of the illness to non-veterans.