Drago, F, Ranieri, E, Pastorino, A et al. · The British journal of dermatology · 1996
This case report describes a woman with ME/CFS who developed unusual skin lesions (brownish patches and bumps) on her chest and back for 10 years. Doctors found that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)—the virus that causes mononucleosis—was active in her skin and other body areas, and abnormal protein deposits were building up in her skin. When she was treated with antiviral medication (acyclovir) and a type of immune-boosting therapy (interferon-alpha), both her skin lesions and other symptoms improved significantly.
This study suggests a potential causal link between persistent EBV reactivation and both ME/CFS symptoms and cutaneous manifestations, proposing that treating the underlying viral infection may improve patient outcomes. It adds to evidence that EBV may play a role in ME/CFS pathophysiology, and demonstrates that specific antiviral and immune-modulating therapies could be beneficial for some patients.
This single case report does not establish that EBV-associated amyloidosis is common in ME/CFS, nor does it prove that all patients with ME/CFS have active EBV infection or would benefit from acyclovir and interferon-alpha therapy. The study cannot determine whether the observed improvement was due to the specific treatments or other factors, and findings from one patient cannot be generalized to the broader ME/CFS population.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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