Gulf War syndrome is a puzzling pattern of symptoms reported by some veterans of the Persian Gulf War of 1991. These symptoms include fatigue, headaches, rashes, digestive disorders, and muscle and joint pain. Veterans also report stress, depression, insomnia, and trouble remembering or concentrating. Members of the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the United States, and other nations have reported symptoms. Although affected veterans describe similar ailments, their health problems do not match the pattern of any previously known illness. Experts have proposed several theories to explain Gulf War syndrome.
One theory is that small doses of chemical weapons may have caused Gulf War syndrome. Iraq stored large quantities of nerve gas and other deadly chemicals in weapons stockpiles. After the fighting ended, the United States and its allies bombed some storage sites to destroy Iraq’s weapon reserves. This bombing may have released clouds of chemicals that drifted long distances, exposing troops to tiny amounts of deadly gases. Researchers are studying whether such low doses of chemical weapons can cause health problems.
Another theory is that a combination of insecticides and a drug called pyridostigmine bromide << `PIHR` uh doh STIHG meen BROH myd >> played a role in Gulf War syndrome. United States troops were given pyridostigmine bromide (often shortened to PB) experimentally in an effort to protect them against nerve gas. At the same time, soldiers used large quantities of pesticides and insect repellents to control desert pests. PB protects against nerve gas by inactivating an enzyme that also breaks down the chemicals in pesticides. As a result, some experts think that PB allowed pesticides to build up to damaging levels in the soldiers’ bodies.
In addition, troops were vaccinated against many diseases and were exposed to blowing sand, heavy smoke from burning oil wells, and other environmental hazards. Some experts believe the syndrome is chiefly a stress reaction resulting from the harsh environment, physical hardship, and constant threat of attack.
Affected veterans are frustrated by the delay in understanding Gulf War syndrome and by certain government actions regarding it. For example, the United States Department of Defense denied until 1996 that American troops might have been exposed to any chemical weapons. Researchers are gathering additional data about the health of Gulf War veterans, and more studies are planned. One study revealed that Gulf War veterans are more likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis << uh `MY` uh TROF ihk LAT uhr uhl sklih ROH sihs >> than veterans who did not serve in the war. This illness, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare, incurable disorder of the nervous system. Experts do not know why ALS is more common in Gulf War veterans and caution that Gulf War syndrome may never be conclusively explained.
See also Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ; Chemical, biological, radiological warfare ; Persian Gulf War of 1991 .
