A. Martin Lerner, M.D., P.C., M.A.C.P., a longtime chief of the Wayne State University Division of Infectious Diseases, died Oct. 5. He was 86.

Dr. Lerner was still practicing at the Treatment Center for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome he founded in Beverly Hills, Mich. He founded that center to treat fellow CFS sufferers after he was diagnosed with the condition in 1988.

Dr. Lerner was a professor of Internal Medicine, and served as chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases for the School of Medicine and Detroit Receiving Hospital from 1963 to 1982. He was chief of the Department of Medicine at Hutzel Hospital from 1970 to 1982.

He established a clinical virology laboratory at the School of Medicine and trained 33 physicians in infectious diseases. He published several groundbreaking papers on Herpes Encephalitics, pneumonia, cardiomyopathy and immunology.

His efforts on behalf of CFS patients led to his development of the Energy Index Patient Score, a functional capacity measurement tool used to diagnose patient fatigue at a time when such a benchmark was lacking. The development of the EIPS resulted in one of his five patents related to the diagnosis and treatment of CFS.

In 2010, Dr. Lerner received the Heart Award from Mothers Against Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, an international advocacy organization representing patients around the world with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or CFS, for his more than 25 years of research on the condition and treating CFS patients.

Dr. Lerner received his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine with Harvard Medical Services at Boston City Hospital and Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He served two years with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Unit, and conducted a three-year research fellowship in Infectious Disease at the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, Boston City Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

He was an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, American Association of Physicians, as well as a master of the American College of Physicians and governor of the Michigan American College of Physicians.

Dr. Lerner is survived by his wife, Lueva; sons, Joshua (Susan) and Joel (Shannon) Lerner; daughter, Elizabeth (Ben) Hetzer; and several grandchildren.

A funeral service took place this afternoon (Oct. 7) at the Davidson/Hermelin Chapel at Clover Hill Park, 2425 East 14 Mile Road, Birmingham. Religious services will be held at 7 p.m. today and Thursday. The family will gather through the evening of Oct. 8 at the residence, 590 Wallace St., Birmingham, for friends to call. The phone number is 248-540-7217.

The family asks that donations in Dr. Lerner's memory be made to the charity of your choice.