گزارش يك مورد هيستري جمعي از استان آذربايجان غربي

A REPORT OF MASS HYSTERIA IN WEST AZARBAYJAN, IRAN

Introduction : The term mass hysteria was first introduced in the thirteen century in the field of medicine .It is manifested by a conversion disorder that appears in a group of individuals under stressful condition . The issue has received considerable attention by psychiatrists due to increased reported cases during the recent years. There are two types of mass hysteria including motor and anxiety types. Up to-date three epidemics of mass hysteria has been reported in Iran. The first epidemic was reported in a mining area near the city of Kerman in 1984. The second epidemic occurred in a village of Kerman district in 1992. The third epidemic was reported in a village of Yazd in 1994. We report the occurrence of the forth epidemic of mass hystria in Iran. Clinical Data : In April 2002, an unknown epidemic was reported in the village (Islamabad) of Sardasht, West Azarbayjan, Iran. Sixty four cases were reported within a short period of time. The disorder was only found in female individuals and commenced in a secondary school. All necessary examinations were conducted by local and district health authorities in collaboration with specialists at the regional and country levels. Following examination by our team, we came to a conclusion that psychological symptoms and epidemiologic characteristics were in line with the occurrence of a mass hysteria. Conclusion : Necessary recommendations and advice to handle the epidemic were issued and the disorder was controlled within three months under close supervision of the health authorities.