Chronic fatigue syndrome not by viruses

Viruses excluded as the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome

18/09/2012

The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is apparently not caused by viruses. In recent years, several publications have pointed to a possible link between the chronic fatigue syndrome and an infection with retroviruses, the research team led by W. Ian Lipkin from Columbia University in New York has now found in a comprehensive investigation no viral causes of the disease.

In 2009, the first study in the science journal "Science" appeared, which suggested infection with special retroviruses as the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. In 2010, further findings were published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" (PNAS), which came to a similar conclusion. Since then, researchers worldwide have endeavored to confirm the connection between chronic fatigue syndrome and a viral infection - without success. Instead, the largest study to date on the topic shows that such a relationship does not exist.

No viruses in the blood of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The research team led by Ian Lipkin has been commissioned by the US National Institutes of Health to examine 147 patients undergoing treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome at six health care centers in the United States. For comparison, 146 healthy controls were used. The study was set up to "clarify once and for all" the potential association between viruses and CFS, explained the study leader. In none of the studies could an infection with the suspected polytrophic mouse leukemia virus (pMLV) or the xenotropic mouse leukemia virus-related pathogen (XMRV) be detected, the scientists report in the journal "mBio". Apparently, the two types of retroviruses were wrongly considered to trigger CFS for three years. The results of the 2009 and 2010 studies were clearly refuted. At that time, the samples were probably contaminated in the laboratory with the mouse viruses, the researchers report. The study also involved scientists who first recognized a link between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the viruses.

Previous studies on chronic fatigue syndrome refuted
No trace of XMRV or pMLV was detected in the blood samples of any of the 293 study participants, write Lipkin and colleagues. Neither the CFS patients nor the control subjects were infected with the pathogens. The hopes to be able to treat CFS with antiviral drugs in the future must therefore be discarded. Reliable methods of healing still do not exist. The chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by persistent mental and physical exhaustion, but also accompanying symptoms such as tiredness, headache, joint, muscle and limb pain, concentration and memory disorders. When loaded, the complaints of the patients increase. According to study authors, 42 out of every 10,000 people in the United States suffer from it. Associated with this is "an annual direct medical cost of seven billion dollars."

Restart of the cause of the chronic fatigue syndrome
Now that the hypothesis of a viral cause of CFS has finally been ruled out, research begins practically again from scratch. "Although the once so promising XMRV and pMLV hypotheses are refuted, we will not give up," said study leader Ian Lipkin. As part of the current study, the systematic analysis of blood samples for pathogens, metabolic disorders or hormonal imbalances has yielded countless data that are now available for further research. So far, however, remains unclear what actually causes the disease.

Treatment options with CFS
Accordingly, a reliable treatment method against chronic fatigue syndrome is still unknown. Most attempts are made to help the patient by balancing possibly existing deficiencies, diet changes and the treatment of concomitant chronic infections. Also, general measures that strengthen the immune system, are used here. In addition, the therapists may also rely on physiotherapy. If patients suffer from concomitant pain, pain therapies also offer a good approach to relieving the symptoms. The selection of possibly suitable treatment methods is in the hands of the therapists and patients with CFS, a general recommendation for action is so far not possible due to the lack of knowledge about the causes of the disease. (Fp)

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