What research is being conducted to determine if any of the 1990-1991 Gulf War illnesses are contagious?
A. An ongoing study at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is looking at the possibility that veterans are infected with a bacterium called Mycoplasma fermentans. This study is a collaboration with Garth Nicolson, Ph.D. who has reported that a gene tracking test which he developed has detected evidence of M. fermentans in many 1990-1991 Gulf War veterans, their family members, and other persons. The study will first attempt to validate Dr. Nicolson’s technique for detecting the bacterium. Results of the validity testing are expected within the next year. If the test is validated, then additional studies will explore the best way to test for the presence of M. fermentans, its potential role in human disease, and, if it causes disease, the best way to eradicate the infection. These studies will be sponsored by the Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board’s Research Working Group.
