Is EBV the coolest virus or what? Find out what it and no other virus can do in the blog
Epstein-Barr virus just keeps showing up in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). After the Lipkin study suggested EBV activation wasn’t a problem a German study suggested it was.
Now, we look at that issue and a fascinating hypothesis proposing that poorly controlled EBV infections are at the heart of all autoimmunity.
The kicker for ME/CFS is that same immune hole believed to allow EBV to do it’s thing in autoimmune diseases may very well be present in ME/CFS.
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▪ Is the Epstein-Barr Virus – Autoimmunity Hypothesis a Fit for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Hi Cort,
I’m currently awaiting test results from the German research doctors team at Charite Berlin that you have mentioned in your articles and blogs. I will share the blood/ lab results with you once I have those which should be in the next 6- 8 weeks. I’m anxious about the results and feel grateful that I was seen by these German doctors. Best to you and thank you for all the information about this debilitating illness that I have been affected by for the past 7 years.
Gina
Germany
I think low grade chronic EBV infection can be the cause for a subgroup. The study from Germany is underexposed.
Thanks, Cort.
This hypothesis seems good. I came down with ME/CFS in college and thought I had mono – that was decades ago. Ever since my immune system has been in high gear. Every afternoon I have to fight to stay awake before “recovering” somewhat in the evening, and I almost never get any other virus to any significant extent.
The autoimmune response in this case must manifest itself as encephalitis, as found in the Japanese pet-scan study.
As per the vit. D3 deficiency – I assume then that ME/CFS has a similar distributive pattern as MS, away from the equator. It’s probably a good idea to get more sunlight with this thing; it usually helps me.
I have had CFS/FM for 27 years & was a clinical virologist until I became so ill I had to stop working. We had an EBV research project going in our lab & when I became ill my staff did
extensive testing to determine which, if any, viruses were active in my system. Strangely enough,
I was seronegative for all herpes group viruses, including EBV. Since then I have seroconverted to
CMV & am now positive for that, but repeated testing over the years has shown that I remain negative for EBV!
Two of my staff also became ill at the same time. We were all exposed to a strange new adenovirus which was isolated in our lab & mishandled by some unauthorized personnel. I developed an adenovirus infection in my eyes accompanied by respiratory symptoms. Post-viral fatigue set in & that was the beginning of CFS for me.
My infectious disease specialist gave me 3 IV immunoglobulin infusions that first year, to no avail.
He also treated me for Lyme disease & that did not help.
Thank you for your work, Cort.