Medical Hypotheses. Vol. 71,#2,pp 270-274;August 2008
Is chronic fatigue syndrome caused by a rare brain infection of a common, normally benign virus?
Is chronic fatigue syndrome caused by a rare brain infection of a common, normally benign virus?
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03069877
Bjorn Grinde(*)
* National Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
Tel.: +47 22042420; fax: +47 22042447. E-mail address: bjgr@fhi.no
Received 15 February 2008; accepted 10 March 2008
Summary
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling disease of unknown aetiology. A
variety of factors have been suggested as possible causes. Although the
symptoms and clinical findings are heterogeneous, the syndrome is
sufficiently distinct, at least in relation to the more obvious cases, that a
common explanation seems likely. In this paper, it is proposed that the
disease is caused by a ubiquitous, but normally benign virus, e.g., one of
the circoviruses. Circoviruses are chronically present in a majority of
people, but are rarely tested for diagnostically. Normally these viruses do
not penetrate the blood-brain barrier, but exceptions have been reported, and
related viruses cause disease in the central nervous system of animals. The
flu-like illness that often precedes the onset of CFS may either suppress
immune function, causing an increased viremia, and/or lower the blood-brain
barrier. In both cases the result may be that a virus already present in the
blood enters the brain. It is well known that zoonotic viruses typically are
more malignant than viruses with a long history of host-virus evolution.
Similarly, a virus reaching an unfamiliar organ may cause particular
problems.
Bjorn Grinde(*)
* National Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
Tel.: +47 22042420; fax: +47 22042447. E-mail address: bjgr@fhi.no
Received 15 February 2008; accepted 10 March 2008
Summary
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling disease of unknown aetiology. A
variety of factors have been suggested as possible causes. Although the
symptoms and clinical findings are heterogeneous, the syndrome is
sufficiently distinct, at least in relation to the more obvious cases, that a
common explanation seems likely. In this paper, it is proposed that the
disease is caused by a ubiquitous, but normally benign virus, e.g., one of
the circoviruses. Circoviruses are chronically present in a majority of
people, but are rarely tested for diagnostically. Normally these viruses do
not penetrate the blood-brain barrier, but exceptions have been reported, and
related viruses cause disease in the central nervous system of animals. The
flu-like illness that often precedes the onset of CFS may either suppress
immune function, causing an increased viremia, and/or lower the blood-brain
barrier. In both cases the result may be that a virus already present in the
blood enters the brain. It is well known that zoonotic viruses typically are
more malignant than viruses with a long history of host-virus evolution.
Similarly, a virus reaching an unfamiliar organ may cause particular
problems.
