A majority of CFS patients describe an infectious onset of their disease.
In some cases, infections may therefore act as triggering factors of CFS. In addition, immune system dysfunctions make CFS patients much more susceptible to opportunistic infections that will contribute to the severity of the illness. Pathogens that are often found in CFS patients include herpesviruses like HHV-6, HHV-7, and EBV; Mycoplasma; and Chlamydia species. Some of these pathogens can be detected in the blood, but infections may also be localized in specific tissues. In a recent study, persistent Parvovirus B19 infections were detected in the gastric and intestinal mucosa of CFS patients.
For an exhaustive list of the pathogens that can be detected, as well as sample requirements, please download our request form.