Be Aware and Beware: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is an Equal Opportunity Disease

Disease outbreaks are often due to pathogens that have increased in prevalence or virulence. But no pathogen nor any toxic environmental exposure has yet been identified as the cause of the disease. Thus, the Centers for Disease Control cannot recommend any precautions one could take to avoid falling victim to this illness. CFS/ME can strike the young and old, the rich, the poor, athletes, writers, actors, film directors, journalists–whether anyone is immune is not known. In only one way is CFS/ME not an equal opportunity illness–women are four times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than men.