AHMF: MP: CDC on clusters, clinical course

Centers for Disease Control on clusters and clinical course of CFS

"[The CDC] has yet to confirm a cluster of cases of CFS."
"Some patients grow progressively worse".

CDC
National Center for Infectious Diseases
CFS Information
[This page last reviewed 18 September 2003]

Extracts

"C. Is CFS Contagious?

While some earlier studies, such as investigations of fatiguing illness in Incline Village, Nev., and Punta Gorda,
Fla., have been cited as evidence for CFS acting as a contagious illness, they did not rigorously document the
occurence of person-to-person transmission. In addition, none of these studies included patients with clinically evaluated fatigue that fit the CFS case definition; therefore these clusters of cases cannot be construed as outbreaks of CFS. CDC worked with state health departments to investigate a number of reported outbreaks of fatiguing illness and has yet to confirm a cluster of CFS cases. Implicit in any contagious illness is an infectious cause for the disease."

"D. Clinical course

Some patients recover to the point that they can resume work and other activities, but continue to experience various or periodic CFS symptoms. Some patients recover completely with time, and some grow progressively worse."