Origin of the name CFS—1988 Case Definition

In 1984 there was an outbreak of ME in Tapanui, New Zealand.

This was followed by outbreaks in Lyndonville, NY amongst Dr. David Bell's patients (1984-1987) after a possible retrovirus infection, and in the Lake Tahoe, Nevada area (1984-1987) amongst Drs. Paul Cheney and David Peterson's patients of what was initially characterized as chronic Epstein-Barr virus.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) investigated the latter outbreak. Eventually a committee was formed to come up with a case definition of the illness. This committee was headed by Dr. G.P. Holmes of the CDC and included many others, including Dr. Anthony Komaroff of Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, a good friend of Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association.