The Enterovirus Theory of Disease Etiology in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Critical Review

Adam J. O’Neal and Maureen R. Hanson

Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States

“Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex, multi-system disease whose etiological basis has not been established. Enteroviruses (EVs) as a cause of ME/CFS have sometimes been proposed, as they are known agents of acute respiratory and gastrointestinal infections that may persist in secondary infection sites, including the central nervous system, muscle, and heart. To date, the body of research that has investigated enterovirus infections in relation to ME/CFS supports an increased prevalence of chronic or persistent enteroviral infections in ME/CFS patient cohorts than in healthy individuals.”

Front. Med., 18 June 2021
Sec. Infectious Diseases – Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment
Volume 8 – 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.688486

This article is part of the Research Topic Current Insights into Complex Post-Infection Fatigue Syndromes with Unknown Aetiology: the Case of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Beyond. View all 11 Articles