[Epidemic neuropathy: proposal and arguments to rename Strachan disease as Strachan and Madan disease].
BACKGROUND
Strachan's disease is a condition which mainly affects the nervous system. It is characterized by optic, auditory and peripheral neuropathies and lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. In 1955 Miller Fisher gave it this name, since the clinical condition described by Henry Strachan in Jamaica during the nineteenth century was similar to that seen in Canadian prisoners-of-war in Japanese concentration camps during the Second World War.


METHODS
Since there are similarities between these clinical disorders and the major neuropathic epidemic seen recently in Cuba, we have reviewed and compared the endemic and epidemic conditions of similar characteristics seen in Cuba during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We also make a detailed review of a similar condition described in 1898-1900 by Doctors Madan, López and Santos Fernández, during the last Cuban War of Independence. This seems to be one of the earliest descriptions of the disorder. We also consider the so-called Strachan's syndrome or disease, and descriptions from the same period of tobacco-alcohol amblyopia and beriberi. These conditions seem to have been very similar to the so-called optical and peripheral forms of the current Cuban epidemic. It is concluded that the clinical characteristics of the recent Cuban neuropathic epidemic, at least in the optical form, were seen to be endemic during the nineteenth century. In many cases this was considered to be alcoholic amblyopia or some other obscure neuropathy which became epidemic during periods of severe economic depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Madan gave a full description of the disorder at the same time as Strachan did. In 1898 he also suggested its true cause and died trying to relieve it. We therefore consider that Strachan's syndrome should be renamed the Strachan-Madan syndrome.
Santiesteban-Freixas
R
R
Departamento de Neuroftalmología del Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía, La Habana, Cuba. lis@infomed.sld.cu
Pamias-González
E
E
Luis-González
S
S
Serrano-Verdecia
C
C
González-Quevedo
A
A
Alfaro-Capdegelle
I
I
Francisco-Plasencia
M
M
Suárez-Hernández
J
J
D000550:Amblyopia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history; D001602:Beriberi / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000266:history; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000266:history; D013577:Syndrome; D009626:Terminology as Topic
Neuropatía epidémica: proposición y argumentacion para renombrar a la enfermedad de Strachan, como de Strachan y Madan.