Gulf Illnesses Caused by Vaccines

Military Medicine, Winter 2005

According to the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses, a panel assisting the VA in guiding research, vaccines such as the one for anthrax should be further studied to find out how much they contributed to the illnesses suffered by thousands of Gulf War veterans. So far, the committee has focused primarily on toxins that can cause neurological damage. In a report released in mid November, the committee commented that other factors, including vaccines, could be playing a role in the illnesses.

Because shots often were not recorded, establishing a link between the anthrax and botulinum toxoid vaccines and illness in veterans is difficult. Problems with the quality control of and changes in manufacturing processes have been suggested as factors that may have led to increased levels of the active antigen in ill patients who received the vaccines, according to the report. Use of unapproved additives to increase a person's immune system response may also have led to the illnesses, according to the report.

The study suggests that the VA work with the CDC as well as NIH in conducting or overseeing studies that will track people for at least five years after they have taken the anthrax vaccine. Symptoms similar to those found in patients suffering from Gulf War Syndrome, including memory and reasoning difficulties, should be watched for. The study also suggests that the VA look at symptoms of veterans who received the vaccine as part of the military's mandatory program in recent years in comparison to those who did not get the shots. Furthermore, the study suggests that links between the illnesses and exposure to Gulf War items such as depleted uranium and smoke from oil well fires be closely analyzed.

Reference: Funk, Deborah, "Vaccines eyed as Gulf illnesses culprits". Army Times, 6 December 2004.