Abstract
Many fibromyalgia patients relate a history of acute febrile and congestive respiratory episodes prior to the onset of their illness. This observation prompted consideration of an influenza virus infection as a possible contributory factor in fibromyalgia. Ten fibromyalgia patients were selected at random for blood testing to determine if viral infections could play a part in development of fibromyalgia. Patient age ranged from 22 to 69, the average being 43 years. Nine of the patients were female and one was male. Screening volunteers for antibodies to influenza type A viral antigen yielded positive results in nine of ten patients. Only three of ten patients with fibromyalgia in a similarly ageand sex-matched group demonstrated positive responses to influenza type B. With the positive results obtained, it appears influenza type A viral infection, which primarily strikes the respiratory and autonomic nervous systems, might be involved in the development of fibromyalgia. In the fibromyalgia cases tested, the patients related a history of upper respiratory infection, along with associated neurological symptoms prior to the onset of fibromyalgia symptoms. (Alt Med Rev 1997;2(2):82-86)