Sophia Mirza

Infobox Person
name = Sophia Mirza


caption =
birth_date = 1973 cite web | url = http://www.25megroup.org/Campaigning/Awareness%202006/Sophia's%20story/sophia's%20story%2006.htm | title = The Story of Sophia and ME | accessdate = 2008-09-11 | last = Wilson | first =C ]
birth_place = Brighton, United Kingdom
death_date = 2005-11-25
death_place = Brighton
other_names =
death_cause = Acute renal failure directly attributable to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
known_for = First death in the United Kingdom directly attributable to CFS
occupation =
nationality = flagcountry|United Kingdom

Sophia Mirza (1973–25 November 2005) was a person in the United Kingdom reported to have died as a complication of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME in the United Kingdom). An inquest was conducted to determine her cause of death, with the coroner ultimately recording it as acute renal failure caused by a failure to produce urine resulting in dehydration, caused by CFS. The inquest's report has been promoted by the ME Association as a breakthrough for those who argue for a physical, rather than mental cause for the illness.

Background

Mirza was born in the United Kingdom in 1973, the youngest of four children. She visited Africa at the age of 19, traveling and working throughout the continent and was infected with malaria twice while there. At the age of 26 Mirza fell ill with what appeared to be the flu and shortly afterward became convalescent, for several years only able to leave her bed for short periods of time. In July 2003 Mirza was sectioned for two weeks by her doctors, who believed her condition was psychosomatic, an action which her mother believed severely worsened her condition.

Death

For two years following her sectioning, Mirza slowly regained her health, but by September, 2005 took a significant turn for the worse, developing allergic reactions to most of the food she consumed, ear infection and severe pain, and was only able to consume a small amount of water. Mirza died on November 25th, 2005. Initial autopsy results were inconclusive for her cause of death, but the results of an inquest released on June 13th, 2006 determined the cause of death to be acute renal failure caused by an inability to produce urine.cite web | url = http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9342-first-official-death-from-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-.html | date = 2006-06-16 | publisher = New Scientist | title = First official UK death from chronic fatigue syndrome | accessdate = 2008-09-11 | last = Hooper | first = R] Though initially reported by New Scientist as the first death world-wide ascribed to CFS, the magazine later acknowledged that other deaths had been directly attributed to CFS in the United States and Australia. Fatalities have been attributed to CFS or its historical equivalent, myalgic encephalomyelitis, since at least 1956.Wallis, A. L. An investigation into an unusual disease seen in epidemic and sporadic form in a general practice in Cumberland in 1955 and subsequent years. MD Thesis, University of Edinburgh 1957] cite journal | last = Carruthers | first = BM | coauthors = et al. | year = 2003 | title = Myalgic encephalomyalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Clinical working definition, diagnostic and treatment protocols | journal = Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | volume = 11 | issue = 1 | pages = 7-36 | doi = 10.1300/J092v11n01_02]

Inquest

An official inquest was held to determine Mirza's cause of death, including an autopsy. The conclusion was Mirza died as a direct result of CFS, precluding sleep apnea, drug use and other causes of death that could have been consistent the autopsy results. The autopsy also revealed inflammation of the spinal cord caused by inflammation of the dorsal root ganglion. The findings were cited as a demonstration that CFS is a physical condition, with implications for physical roots to CFS traditionally rejected by psychiatrists in the United Kingdom. The neurologist who consulted on the inquest stated that the abnormalities in the spinal cord may have been the cause of the symptoms Mirza experienced as part of her CFS. Four out of five of Mirza's dorsal root ganglia showed abnormalities and evidence of disease.cite web | url = http://www.investinme.org/Article-050%20Sophia%20Wilson%2001-RIP.htm | title = The Inquest into the Death of Sophia Mirza | publisher = Brighton Coroner’s Court | date = 2006-06-13 | accessdate = 2008-09-11 ] There was disagreement over whether to use the term CFS or ME in the final report. The conclusion of the pathologist was:

According to the BBC, advocacy groups such as the ME Association saw the inquest's verdict as proof that Mirza's condition was neurological. [cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5112050.stm | title = Fatigue syndrome ruling welcomed | accessdate = 2008-09-11 | date = 2006-06-23 | publisher = BBC ]

References

External links

* [http://www.investinme.org/Mediatelevision2.htm Interviews with Mirza's mother, Criona Wilson]