Over the past eight years’ evidence has been accumulating for outbreaks of a novel type of immune impairment which appears to affect human health for a period of 12 months before abating. Deaths, medical admissions, NHS staff sickness absence, the gender ratio at birth, rate of stillbirths and congenital conditions are all affected. Persons suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia show the highest deaths during the outbreaks. The common herpesvirus cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be involved.
