Bacteria Not Cause of Gulf War Illness
Posted on: Thursday, 21 October 2004, 04:00 CDT
SERVICE
After a year's study on sick Gulf War veterans, VA researchers have ruled out bacterial infections as the cause of their ailments. Results of the study were published July 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The experiment tracked 491 Gulf vets who complained of a range of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle and joint pain, insomnia, headaches and depression. All had a bacterium called mycoplasma in their bloodstreams, and researchers believed it might be the cause of the ailments.
The vets-who were tested at 20 VA facilities around the country- were given either the antibiotic doxycycline or a placebo daily for a year. The antibiotic proved to be worthless in fighting the ailments, and may have caused nausea and sun sensitivity for some vets. One of the study's authors told the Associated Press that at least the experiment proved bacterial infections are not the cause of illness.
"It's disappointing, but the results are definitive: This is not the smoking gun," said Joseph F. Collins, a VA Maryland Healthcare System researcher.
VFW VETERANS HELPLINE
Call VFW's Tactical Assessment Center if you have questions, concerns or issues about VA care you are receiving.
(800) VFW-1899
Copyright Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Oct 2004
Source: VFW, Veterans of Foreign Wars Magazine
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