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>>>>> Help ME Circle <<<<
>>>> 10 February 2012 <<<<
Editorship : j.van.roijen@chello.nl
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PubMed
US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
BMC Gastroenterol. 2012 Feb 8;12(1):13. [Epub ahead of
print]
Chronic fatigue syndrome after Giardia
enteritis: clinical characteristics, disability
and long-term sickness absence.
Naess H, Nyland M, Hausken T, Follestad I, Nyland
HI.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
A waterborne outbreak of Giardia lamblia gastroenteritis led
to a high prevalance of long-lasting fatigue and abdominal
symptoms. The aim was to describe the clinical
characteristics, disability and employmentloss in a case
series of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
after the infection.
METHODS:
Patients who reported persistent fatigue, lowered functional
capacity and sickness leave or delayed education after a
large community outbreak of giardiasis enteritis in the city
of Bergen, Norway were evaluated with the established
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for CFS.
Fatigue was self-rated by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS).
Physical and mental health status and functional
impairment was measured by the Medical Outcome
Severity Scale-short Form-36 (SF-36). The Hospital Anxiety
and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure
co-morbid anxiety and depression.
Inability to work or study because of fatigue was determined
by sickness absence certified by a doctor.
RESULTS:
A total of 58 (60%) out of 96 patients with long-lasting
post-infectious fatigue after laboratory confirmed giardiasis
were diagnosed with CFS.
In all, 1262 patients had laboratory confirmed giardiasis. At
the time of referral (mean illness duration 2.7 years) 16 %
reported improvement, 28 % reported no change, and 57 %
reported progressive course with gradual worsening.
Mean FSS score was 6.6. A distinctive pattern of
impairment was documented with the SF-36.
The physical functioning, vitality (energy/fatigue) and social
functioning were especially reduced. Long-term sickness
absence from studies and work was noted in all patients.
CONCLUSION:
After giardiasis enteritis at least 5% developed clinical
characteristics and functional impairment comparable to
previously described post-infectious fatigue syndrome.
PMID: 22316329 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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