E3 PreliminaryPreliminaryPEM unclearMechanisticPeer-reviewedMachine draft
Evidence for enteroviral persistence in humans.
Galbraith, D N, Nairn, C, Clements, G B · The Journal of general virology · 1997 · DOI
Quick Summary
Researchers tested blood samples from 8 people with ME/CFS and found traces of enterovirus (a type of virus) in samples taken at least 5 months apart. In 4 of these individuals, the virus appeared to be the same virus persisting in their body over time, rather than a new infection. This suggests that some people with ME/CFS may have viruses that linger in their system rather than being cleared completely.
Why It Matters
This research provides potential molecular evidence that some ME/CFS patients may harbor persistent enteroviral infections rather than experiencing only acute viral illness followed by recovery. Understanding whether enteroviral persistence contributes to ME/CFS pathophysiology could inform future treatment strategies and help explain why symptoms persist in some patients.
Observed Findings
- 8 CFS patients tested positive for enteroviral sequences in serum samples taken ≥5 months apart
- 4 of 8 patients had >97% nucleotide sequence identity in the 5' non-translated region across both timepoints
- Four individuals showed unique shared sequence patterns consistent with viral persistence rather than reinfection
- One patient (HO) demonstrated infection with two different enterovirus strains
- Identified sequences predominantly related to Coxsackie B-like viruses
Inferred Conclusions
- Enteroviral persistence occurs in at least a subset of CFS patients (4 of 8 in this cohort)
- Persistent enteroviral infections may be distinguishable from reinfection events through molecular sequencing analysis
- Coxsackie B-like viruses may be particularly associated with persistent enteroviral infection in CFS
Remaining Questions
- What proportion of the broader ME/CFS population harbors persistent enteroviral infections?
- Does enteroviral persistence correlate with symptom severity or specific clinical features?
- Are asymptomatic controls or non-CFS patient populations also positive for enteroviral sequences, and if so, at what frequency?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove that enteroviral persistence causes ME/CFS, as it lacks a control group of healthy individuals or symptomatic non-CFS patients for comparison. Detecting viral sequences does not establish that the virus is actively replicating or causing ongoing symptoms. The small sample size (n=8) limits generalizability to the broader ME/CFS population.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Biomarker:Blood Biomarker
Phenotype:Infection-Triggered
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionNo ControlsSmall SampleExploratory Only
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.1099/0022-1317-78-2-307
- PMID
- 9018051
- Review status
- Machine draft
- Evidence level
- Early hypothesis, preprint, editorial, or weak support
- Last updated
- 8 April 2026
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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