PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - K. G. Fegan AU - P. O. Behan AU - E. J. Bell TI - Myalgic encephalomyelitis—report of an epidemic DP - 1983 Jun 01 TA - The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners PG - 335--337 VI - 33 IP - 251 4099 - http://bjgp.org/content/33/251/335.short 4100 - http://bjgp.org/content/33/251/335.full SO - J R Coll Gen Pract1983 Jun 01; 33 AB - The relationship between the group B Coxsackieviruses and a wide variety of illnesses, particularly pleurodynia and myo/pericarditis, is already well established. The detection of raised levels of neutralizing antibody to these viruses in a group of patients in a rural practice presenting with an illness resembling myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) was therefore unexpected. This is a most distressing and debilitating illness for the patient and the affected family. What is the immunological failure in these patients which apparently allows this virus to persist causing such unusual and bizarre illness? At present ME is probably much commoner than is realized, the majority of patients being given the dismissive diagnosis of psychoneurosis.