A collection of unexplained symptoms, including fatigue, skin disorders, and muscle pains, affecting some soldiers who fought in the Gulf War in 1991.
A nonscientific term referring to unexplained illnesses of veterans who served in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War. Symptoms generally include fatigue, joint pain, skin rash, memory loss, and diarrhea. These problems may have been caused by exposure to environmental hazards, such as chemical warfare agents. The exact cause of the syndrome is unknown.
A collection of varying symptoms, such as persistent tiredness, headaches, muscle pain and poor concentration, reported by members of the Coalition Armed Forces who served in the 1991 Gulf War. Whilst there is strong evidence for a health effect related to service, there is no evidence of a particular set of signs and symptoms (the definition of a ‘syndrome’) unique to those who served in the Gulf War. Symptoms have been blamed by sufferers on exposure to depleted uranium munitions, smoke from oil-well fires and use of pesticides. However, the only clearly demonstrated association is with the particular pattern of vaccinations used to protect against biological weapons. Many conflicts in the past have generated their own ‘syndromes’, given names such as effort syndrome and shell-shock, suggesting a link to the psychological stress of being in the midst of warfare.
In 1991, a group of symptoms emerged among armed forces personnel of different nationalities involved in the war in the Persian Gulf. This illness, known as Gulf War Syndrome, encompasses a diverse range of symptoms such as severe fatigue, fever, headaches, rashes, chronic bronchitis, visual disturbances, impaired short-term memory, and depression. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of this syndrome remains unknown.