Med Hypotheses. 1995 Sep; 45(3): 221-2.

Beef allergy and the Persian Gulf syndrome.

Hollander DH.

Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

It is suggested that the Persian Gulf Syndrome (PGS) is caused by beef allergy. In the first symptomless phase, as a result of an energetic US Army immunizing program, using sera with adjuvants to produce detectable antibody levels, the subjects not only developed immunity to the targeted substances, but also became sensitized to one or more of the other substances in the immunizing sera, and specifically to beef protein. The subjects remained healthy while in the war zone on a restricted diet essentially free from beef, but developed PGS after they came home, and were again able to obtain steaks and hamburgers.