'Epidemic neuromyasthenia' 1955-1978. 1978

A M Ramsay

A record of fifty-three patients admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department of the Royal Free Hospital between April 1955 and September 1957 suffering from 'epidemic neuromyasthenia' establishes the fact that the condition was endemic in the general population before, during and after the outbreak among the staff of the hospital. A further outbreak occurred in North Finchley between 1964 and 1967 and sporadic new cases are still being encountered. The majority of these patients show evidence of involvement of the central and sympathetic nervous systems and the reticulo-endothelial system. Abnormal muscular fatigability is the dominant clinical feature and it is suggested that mitochondrial damage may provide an explanation for this phenomenon. Enzyme tests carried out in seven cases show pathologically high levels of lactic dehydrogenase, and glutamic oxalo-acetic transaminase. A follow-up study suggests that there is one group of patients that recovers completely or nearly completely, a second that recovers but is subject to relapses and a third that shows little or no recovery, these patients remaining incapacitated.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008131 London The capital of the United Kingdom. It is located in England.
D009135 Muscular Diseases Acquired, familial, and congenital disorders of SKELETAL MUSCLE and SMOOTH MUSCLE. Muscle Disorders,Myopathies,Myopathic Conditions,Muscle Disorder,Muscular Disease,Myopathic Condition,Myopathy
D012008 Recurrence The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission. Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D012075 Remission, Spontaneous A spontaneous diminution or abatement of a disease over time, without formal treatment. Spontaneous Healing,Spontaneous Regression,Spontaneous Remission,Healing, Spontaneous,Regression, Spontaneous,Spontaneous Healings,Spontaneous Regressions
D004196 Disease Outbreaks Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS. Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D004679 Encephalomyelitis A general term indicating inflammation of the BRAIN and SPINAL CORD, often used to indicate an infectious process, but also applicable to a variety of autoimmune and toxic-metabolic conditions. There is significant overlap regarding the usage of this term and ENCEPHALITIS in the literature. Myeloencephalitis,Encephalomyelitis, Inflammatory,Inflammatory Encephalomyelitis,Myeloencephalitides
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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