§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information his Department has on the incidence of (a) post-viral fatigue syndrome, (b) coxsackie B infection and (c) myalgic encephalomyelitis;
(2) what steps his Department is taking to study and correct: (a) post-viral fatigue syndrome, (b) coxsackie B infection and (c) myalgic encephalomyelitis.
§ Mrs. CurrieFormal notification is not required for any of these conditions, but their incidence in this country is low. Only coxsackie B has been identified in the laboratory. The Public Health Laboratory Service's Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) reported 1268 cases in 1985, though the incidence may have been somewhat higher since not all cases would have been the subject of laboratory investigation. In the early 1950s outbreaks of benign myaligic encephalomyelitis occurred in some London hospitals, but despite extensive 821W investigations no causal agent was found. No outbreaks have been reported in recent years. We have no data centrally on post-viral fatigue syndrome.
Treatment for all these conditions consists mainly of complete rest and quiet during the acute phase of the illness.
The Department is not currently funding centrally any research into these conditions.