Lack of serological evidence for Mycoplasma fermentans infection in army Gulf War veterans: a large scale case-control study

Mycoplasma fermentans is suspected in the development of 'Gulf War illness' in veterans of Operation Desert Storm. We conducted a matched case-control study for the prevalence of M. fermentans-specific antibodies before and a fter the operation, as well as seroconversion rates in veterans with and wi thout complaints of 'Gulf War illness'. Cases consisted of Gulf War veteran s, who complained of Various illnesses and were enrolled in the second phas e of the health evaluation by the Army Comprehensive Clinical Examination P rogram (CCEP). Controls were selected from Gulf War veterans who did not pa rticipate in the registry and did not request a health evaluation by the CC EP. Before operation deployment, 34 out of 718 of the cases (4.8%) and 116 out of 2233 of the controls (5.2%) tested positive for M. fermentans-specif ic antibodies. There was no difference in rates of seroconversion between c ases and controls (1.1 vs. 1.2%) to M. fermentans during Operation Desert S torm. Thus, there is no serological evidence that suggests infection by M, fermentans is associated with development of 'Gulf War illness'.