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There have been dozens of documented outbreaks of [[ME]] and [[CFS]] since the 1930s. Many of these outbreaks occurred at institutions for example, hospitals, schools, army bases or convents. The true number of clusters and outbreaks is likely vastly higher. == History of the name == Before the [[polio]] vaccine, outbreaks were often observed in towns experiencing polio epidemics, hence one of [[ME]]'s earliest names, [[atypical polio]]. It is not known whether there is a relationship between polio outbreaks and ME or if outbreaks of ME were more likely to be reported when public health authorities were already mobilized for an earlier crisis. After the outbreak in [[Akureyri]], Iceland in 1946, the disease came to be called "Akureyri Disease" or [[Icelandic disease]] through much of the 1940s and 1950s. It was named [[Myalgic Encephalomyelitis]] after London's [[Royal Free Hospital outbreak]] in 1955. After the [[Incline village]] outbreak in Nevada in 1984, the disease came to be called and redefined as [[Chronic Fatigue Syndrome]]. == Outbreaks == {|class="sortable wikitable" |- ! style="width:180px;"|Name ! style="width:40px;"|Date ! style="width:80px;"|Region ! style="width:160px;"|Location ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |[[1934 Los Angeles atypical polio outbreak|Los Angeles atypical polio outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1934-01-01"|1934 |North America |Los Angeles, USA |Epidemic among personnel at L.A. County Hospital, Ruth Protection Home and throughout California, paralleling poliomyelitis, often diagnosed as atypical poliomyelitis, sometimes including arthropathy. |- |[[1936 Fond-du-Lac outbreak|Fond-du-Lac outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1936-01-01"|1936 |North America |Fond-du-Lac, Wisconsin, USA |An outbreak of "encephalitis" in St. Agnes Convent. |- |[[1937 Erstfeld outbreak|Erstfeld outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1937-01-01"|1937 |Europe |Erstfeld, Switzerland |Outbreak described as "Abortive Poliomyelitis" |- |[[1937 St. Gallen outbreak|St. Gallen outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1937-01-01"|1937 |Europe |St. Gallen, Switzerland |Outbreak in Frohburg Hospital described as "Abortive Poliomyelitis" |- |[[1939 Middlesex outbreak|Middlesex outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1939-01-01"|1939 |Europe |Middlesex, England |Outbreak at Harefield Sanatorium - "Persistent myalgia following sore throat" |- |[[1939 Degersheim outbreak|Degersheim outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1939-01-01"|1939 |Europe |Degersheim, St. Gallen, Switzerland |Outbreak described as "Abortive Poliomyelitis" |- |[[1945 Pennsylvania outbreak|Pennsylvania outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1945-01-01"|1945 |Europe |University Hospital of Pennsylvania, USA |Epidemic described as "pleurodynia with prominent neurological symptoms and no demonstrable cause." |- |[[1946 Iceland outbreak|Iceland outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1946-01-01"|1946-47 |Europe |Iceland |"Mixed epidemics of poliomyelitis and a disease resembling poliomyelitis with the character of the Akureyri Disease." |- |[[Akureyri outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1948-01-01"|1948-49 |Europe |North Coast Towns, Iceland |"A disease epidemic in Iceland simulating Poliomyelitis" in three separate towns during this time. |- |[[1949 Adelaide outbreak|Adelaide outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1949-01-01"|1949-1953 |Oceania |Adelaide, Australia |Outbreak of a disease resembling poliomyelitis, during/after a poliomyelitis epidemic. |- |[[1950 Louisville outbreak|Louisville outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1950-01-01"|1950 |North America |Louisville, Kentucky, USA |Outbreak in the Nurse's Training School of St. Joseph Infirmary, later described as "epidemic neuromyasthenia." |- |[[1950 Upper New York State outbreak|Upper New York State outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1950"|1950 |North America |Upper New York State, USA |Outbreak described as resembling the "Iceland Disease...simulating Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis." |- |[[1952 London outbreak|London outbreak]] |data-sort-value='1952"|1952 |Europe |London, England |Outbreak at Middlesex Hospital Nurses' Home described as "Encephalomyelitis associated with Poliomyelitis Virus." |- |[[1952 Copenhagen outbreak|Copenhagen outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1952:|1952 |Europe |Copenhagen, Denmark |Outbreak described as "epidemic myositis." |- |[[1952 Florida outbreak|Florida outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1952"|1952 |North America |Lakeland, Florida, USA |Outbreak described as epidemic neuromyasthenia. |- |[[1953 Coventry outbreak|Coventry outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1953"|1953 |Europe |Coventry and Coventry District, England |"An illness resembling Poliomyelitis observed in nurses." |- |[[1953 Maryland outbreak|Maryland outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1953"|1953 |North America |Rockville, Maryland, USA |Chestnut Lodge Hospital student nurses described with poliomyelitis-like epidemic neuromyasthenia. |- |[[1953 Jutland outbreak|Jutland outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1953"|1953 |Europe |Jutland, Denmark |Outbreak of "Epidemic encephalitis with vertigo." |- |[[1954 Florida outbreak|Florida outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1954"|1954 |North America |Tallahassee, Florida, USA |Bond JO. A new clinical entity? Lancet 1956; 2:256.<!!! fix this ---> |- |[[1954 Seward outbreak|Seward outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1954"|1954 |North America |Seward, Alaska |Outbreak described as "Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Iceland Disease)." |- |[[1954 Berlin outbreak|Berlin outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1954"|1954 |Europe |Berlin, Germany |Among the British Army, a "further outbreak of a disease resembling poliomyelitis." |- |[[1954 Liverpool outbreak|Liverpool outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1954"|1954 |Europe |Liverpool, England |Outbreak among medical and nursing staff in a Liverpool Hospital. |- |[[Dalston|Dalston outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1954"|1954 |Europe |Dalston, Cumbria, England |"...an unusual disease seen in epidemic and sporadic form in general practice in 1955 and subsequent years." |- |[[Royal Free Hospital outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955 |Europe |London, England |Famous outbreak of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis among [[Royal Free Hospital]] staff. |- |[[1955 Perth AUS outbreak|Perth AUS outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955 |Oceania |Perth, Australia |"Virus epidemic in recurrent waves." |- |[[1955 Wales outbreak|Wales outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955 |Europe |Gilfach Goch, Wales |Outbreak of Benign encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1955 Durban outbreak|Durban outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955 |Africa |Durban and Durban City, South Africa |Outbreak among nurses at Addington Hospital called "The Durban Mystery Disease" describing neuromuscular dysfunction, and epidemic myalgic encephalomyelopathy, including sporadic cases in Johannesburg of a outbreak resembling poliomyelitis. |- |[[1955 Segbwema outbreak|Segbwema outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955-56 |Africa |Segbwema, Sierra Leone |An outbreak of encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1955 Iceland outbreak|Iceland outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955-56 |Europe |Patreksfordur and Thorshofn, Iceland |Unusual response to poliomyelitis vaccination. |- |[[1955 London outbreak|London outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1955"|1955-56 |Europe |North West London, England |Outbreak of acute infective encephalomyelitis simulating poliomyelitis among a residential home for nurses. |- |[[1956 Ridgefield outbreak|Ridgefield outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1956"|1956 |North America |Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA |An epidemic of neuromyasthenia. |- |[[1956 Punta Gorda outbreak|Punta Gorda outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1956"|1956 |North America |Punta Gorda, Florida, USA |An outbreak of epidemic neuromyasthenia. |- |[[1956 Lancashire outbreak|Lancashire outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1956"|1956 |Europe |Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, England |Outbreak described as "lymphocytic meningo-encephalitis with myalgia and rash," "An outbreak of a disease believed to have been cause by Echo 9 virus," with other varying descriptions. |- |[[1956 Massachusetts outbreak|Massachusetts outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1956"|1956 |North America |Pittsfield, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA |Outbreak of "epidemic neuromyasthenia" later described as benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. (Included in this summary are sporadic cases in Hygiea, Sweden, with descriptions of encephalitis, meningitis or poliomyelitis; Coxsackie B and Echo Virus infections; benign myalgic encephalomyelitis.) |- |[[1956 Coventry outbreak|Coventry outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1956"|1956-57 |Europe |Coventry, England |Outbreak described as epidemic malaise and benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1957 South Australia outbreak|South Australia outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1957"|1957 |Oceania |Brighton, South Australia |Outbreak described as "Coxsackie, Echo Virus meningitis and myalgic encephalomyelitis", "Epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis," and "Benign myalgic encephalomyelitis." |- |[[1958 Athens outbreak|Athens outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1958"|1958 |Europe |Athens, Greece |An outbreak of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis in a nurse's school, "periostitis and arthropathy noted." (Included in this summary is an outbreak of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis in Switzerland.) |- |[[1958 London SW outbreak|London SW outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1958"|1958-59 |Europe |South-West London, England |Reports of sporadic cases of myalgic encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1959 Newcastle outbreak|Newcastle outbreak]] |data-sort-value-"1959"|1959 |Europe |Newcastle upon Tyne, England |Outbreak of benign myalgic encephalomylitis. |- |[[1959 London NW outbreak|London NW outbreak]] |data-sort-value-"1959"|1959 |Europe |North-West London, England |Reports of sporadic cases of influenza-like illness. |- |[[1959 England|England outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1959"|1959 |Europe |England |Article describing sporadic cases and "The psychiatric sequelae of Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis." |- |[[1961 Basel outbreak|Basel outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1961"|1961 |Europe |Basel, Switzerland |Sporadic case of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis described. |- |[[1961 New York State outbreak|New York State outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1961"|1961-62 |North America |New York State, USA |Outbreak described as epidemic neuromyasthenia in a convent in New York State. |- |[[1964 London NW outbreak|London NW outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1964"|1964-66 |Europe |North-West London, England |Outbreak described as epidemic malaise and epidemic neuromyasthenia. |- |[[1964 Franklin outbreak|Franklin outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1964"|1964-66 |North America |Franklin, Kentucky, USA |Outbreak of "neuromyasthenia" in a Kentucky factory, possibly due to mercury exposure. |- |[[1965 Galveston outbreak|Galveston outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1964"|1965-66 |North America |Galveston County, Texas, USA |Outbreak described as "Epidemic Neuromyasthenia Variant?" and "Epidemic Diencephalomyelitis," the latter describing neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular and endocrine disorders. |- |[[1967 Edinburgh outbreak|Edinburgh outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1964"|1967-70 |Europe |Edinburgh, Scotland |Sporadic cases resembling benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1968 Fraidek outbreak|Fraidek outbreak]] |sort-data-value="1968"|1968 |Europe |Fraidek, Lebanon |Report on an epidemic of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. |- |[[1969 New York outbreak|New York outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1969"|1969 |North America |State University of New York, USA |Medical Centre - report of epidemic Neuromyasthenia and "unidentified symptom complex." |- |[[1970 Lackland outbreak|Lackland outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1970"|1970 |North America |Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, USA |Epidemic Neuromyasthenia reported. "A syndrome or disease?" |- |[[1970 London outbreak|London outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1970"|1970-71 |Europe |London, England |An outbreak of "epidemic neuromyasthenia" among nurses a the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Oromond Street. |- |[[1975 Sacramento outbreak|Sacramento outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1975"|1975 |North America |Sacramento, California, USA |"200 hospital staff in the [Mercy San Juan Hospital] fell ill in August September 1975. The epidemic appears to have spread to the children of the hospital staff and from there to the children's teachers. 43 have been seriously disabled with chronic illness from 1975-1992" [at publication of this text]<ref>need more info</ref>. |- |[[1976 Ireland SW outbreak|Ireland SW outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1976"|1976 |Europe |Southwest Ireland |Reports on Mylagic Encephalomyelits and epidemic neuromyasthenia in this region. |- |[[1977 Dallas outbreak|Dallas outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1977"|1977 |North America |Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, USA |"Epidemic Neuromyasthenia" reported. |- |[[1979 Southampton outbreak|Southampton outbreak]] |data-sort-value="1979"|1979 |Europe |Southampton, England |Outbreak of M.E. in a girls' school. |} == Outbreaks by Decade == ==== [[1978 notes|1978 - Symposium]] ==== [Ed. note: Dr. Hyde's text notes that the first major M.E./CFS Symposium was held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London in this year. M.E. aka epidemic neuromyasthenia, viral relationships to this disease, biochemical abnormalities in patients and other subjects were discussed by experts such as Shelokov, Ramsay, Richardson, Behan, Parish and others.]<ref>to be moved</ref> ===1980s=== ==== [[Ayrshire|1980-81 - West Kilbridge, Ayrshire, Scotland]] ==== M.E. epidemic reported in a rural medical practice. ==== [[1980 Helensburgh outbreak|1980-83 - Helensburgh, Scotland]] ==== Coxsackie B outbreak reported in a general practice. ==== [[1981 Stirlingshire outbreak|1981-82 - Stirlingshire, Scotland]] ==== Sporadic cases of M.E. reported. ==== [[1981 Gunnedah outbreak|1981 - Gunnedah, NSW, Australia]] ==== The Gunnedah outbreak was linked with pesticides, which were conjectured to be interacting with viruses and other environmental chemicals in a post-viral syndrome.<ref name="Canb1987">[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122114779 "M.E.: a mystery illness affecting Australians"] ''The Canberra Times (newspaper)'' 12 November 1987: 19.</ref> Those affected included one local GP, with that GP forming the view this was clearly a physical illness. The outbreak was featured in a film ''More than Just Poison'' made in 1986 by the Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals Committee.<ref>Video - [http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/8495284 "More Than Just Poison"] ''Arafura Films'', 1986</ref> ==== [[1982 West Otago outbreak|1982-84 - Tapanui & West Otago, New Zealand]] ==== Outbreak first described and an "unexplained illness," later as M.E. Included here are outbreaks in Dunedin and Hamilton New Zealand. ==== [[1984 USA endemic|1984 - North America (Endemic)]] ==== "From 1984 until 1992 [at publication of this text] an endemic period occurred in which an usually large number of cluster and epidemics of M.E./CFS have been recognized in North America. After an apparent initial increase in the morbidity in 1983 there seemed to have appeared in late summer of 1984 an unprecedented increase of sporadic and epidemic cases across North America. Although certain geographical hot spots seen to have taken up much of the medical interest, this endemic situation probably represents an unusual and unremitting morbidity in all areas of the United States and Canada." -Dr. Byron Hyde- ====[[Incline village|1984 - Incline village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA]] ==== A chronic illness characterized by fatigue, neurologic and immunologic disorders and active human herpesvirus type 6 infection. This community epidemic, apparently started in a girls' basketball team, then involved primarily teacher in at least three high schools, and then large numbers of the community.<ref name="NewsWeek19901111"/> ==== [[1984 Chapel Hill outbreak|1984 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA]] ==== "Epidemic amongst members of The North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. Low NKC [Natural Killer Cells] associated with high yield of lymphoma, astrocytoma, glioma." ==== [[1984 Montreal outbreak| 1984 - Montreal, Quebec-Ontario, Canada]] ==== Over 500 cases of M.E./CFS documented during August-November 1984 period. This endemic was active in all parts of Canada during this period and appears [to] have maintained its activity until the time of writing in 1991. ==== [[1984 Truckee outbreak|1984-85 - Truckee, California, USA]] ==== M.E. epidemic involving teachers and students. ==== [[1985 Lyndonville outbreak|1985 - Lyndonville, New York, USA]] ==== M.E. epidemic in a rural community involving children and adults.<ref name="NewsWeek19901111"/> ==== [[1985 Yerington outbreak|1985 Yerington, Nevada, USA]] ==== In the same area [not far from Truckee, California] an M.E./CFS-like epidemic reputedly occurred in a reservation of American Native people. ==== [[1986 Placerville outbreak|1986 - Placerville, California, USA]] ==== Outbreak of chronic fatigue syndrome 'coincident with a heavy contamination of the local unfiltered water supply'. ==== [[1988 Sonora CA outbreak|1988 - Sonora, California, USA]] ==== "More than 35 children and adults were diagnosed with M.E. in the mountain country 100 miles from Lake Tahoe. Many of these patients were associated in some way with Columbia Community College." ==== [[1988 Narrabeen outbreak|1988 - Narrabeen, NSW, Australia]] ==== <ref name="Canb1987"/><ref>[http://www.mecfswa.org.au/About_ME-CFS/Brief_History ME/CFS Society of Western Australia - Endemic Outbreaks]</ref> ==== [[1989 Roseville CA outbreak|1989 - Roseville, California, USA]] ==== Rosedale Hospital reported 11 cases of M.E./CFS among staff. ===1990s=== ==== [[1990 Elk Grove CA outbreak|1990 - Elk Grove, California, USA]] ==== M.E. epidemic among teachers and students. ==temp== (to be moved to subpage for Adelaide 1949-1953 epidemic] * 1951-06-30: "The author describes a disease which has been epidemic in Adelaide since August 1949, and which closely resembles poliomyelitis. Its most characteristic feature is the absence of abnormal findings in the cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, out of 1,350 consecutive cases of " poliomyelitis ", 800 had less than 10 cells per cubic millimetre in the cerebrospinal fluid (the majority had less than 5 cells); and the protein values were normal in all but 2 of these cases. * The onset of this illness was either gradual or sudden and, if sudden, headache was a constant feature and often of marked intensity. Muscle weakness - generally slight and diffuse in distribution - occurred more commonly in the legs than in the arms. Where paralysis was severe, rapid recovery generally ensued. Two noteworthy features of the muscle involvement in this disease were as follows: the pain frequently persisted in various muscles for periods up to six months after the acute illness; in some cases the onset of muscle weakness was delayed for several months. The ultimate prognosis was always good, but frequent recurrences were not uncommon. The greatest disabling feature of the disease lay in the psychological sequelae which were fairly constant and comprised one or more of the following - lack of concentration, depression, irritability, emotional instability and hyperacuity of hearing. These manifestations, however, eventually resolved completely".<ref> Dr R.A. Pellew, [http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19522700678.html;jsessionid=AA4534CA199AC800732B3877608F5CE0 "A Clinical Description of a Disease resembling Poliomyelitis, seen in Adelaide, 1949-1951"] ''Medical Journal of Australia'', Medical Journal of Australia 1951, June 30 Vol. 1 No. 26 pp. 944-6</ref> : 1952-02-01: "Dr. R.A. Pellew, of Adelaide, who will also address the conference, believes that most of SA's 3,130 polio cases during the past two years and nine months have suffered a mild form of the disease."<ref> [http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47377426? "Conference on Polio"] "The Advertiser'', Adelaide Australia, 01 February 1952</ref> * 1955: The Adelaide outbreak of atypical polio was associated with a reduction in typical polio cases. "There was ... a marked regression of [typical] poliomyelitis in South Australia (413 notifications as compared with 721)." (from page 645 of 1955 WHO report <ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2542300/ "Poliomyelitis in 1953"] ''Bull World Health Organ.'' 1955;12(4):595-649.</ref>) ==Outbreaks by region== ===North America=== ===Europe=== ===Africa=== === Australia and New Zealand === *[[#1949_Adelaide_outbreak|1949-54 - Adelaide, South Australia]] *[[#1955_Perth_AUS_outbreak|1955 - Perth, Western Australia]] *[[#1957_South_Australia_outbreak|1957 - Brighton, South Australia]] *[[#1982_West_Otago_outbreak|1982-84 - West Otago, New Zealand]] *[[#1988_Narrabeen_outbreak|1988 - Narrabeen, NSW, Australia]] == Related Lists == * [http://www.meassociation.org.uk/shop/books/saga-of-royal-free-disease/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Post Viral Fatigue States: the Saga of the Royal Free Disease] by Dr Melvin Ramsay, 1955. * [http://www.meresearch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ME-Research-UK-Research-Publications-on-ME-epidemics-1934-1980.pdf Reference index of papers published on epidemics of ME 1934-80 (collected by Dr J. Gordon Parish)], ME Research UK, 1980. * [http://www.nightingale.ca/index.php?target=bookoffer The Clinical and Scientific Basis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (edited by Dr. Byron Hyde)], Nightingale Foundation, 1992. ==References== <references> <ref name="NewsWeek19901111">{{citation | title = Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | journal = NewsWeek | date = 1990-11-11 | url = http://www.newsweek.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-205712 }}</ref>
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