Here's a paper by a microbiologist that has found some of the causes for some of these symptoms.
Publications Reports
Chronic Fatigue Illnesses
Prof. Garth L. Nicolson
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Other Fatigue Conditions
Chronic fatigue is reported by 20% of all patients seeking medical care and is considered as a nonspecific sign that is associated with many well known medical conditions. Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), and Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) patients
suffer from complex overlapping signs and symptoms. (see 'Signs/Symptoms' Questions, above)
CFS is primarily characterized by persisting or relapsing fatigue without previous history of
comparable symptoms that does not resolve with rest. In these patients other clinical conditions
are absent that can explain the signs and symptoms such as malignancies or autoimmune diseases.
In contrast, FMS patients have overall muscle pain, tenderness, and weakness as primary
complaints, but they have most if not all of the commonly found signs and symptoms for CFS. We
previously proposed that CFS/ME patients might be suffering from chronic infections that can
cause, in part, their complex signs and symptoms. For example, systemic mycoplasmal infections
can cause chronic fatigue, muscle pain and a variety of additional signs and symptoms, some of
which are related to dysfunctional immune responses and in extreme cases autoimmune-like
disorders. Some mycoplasmas can invade virtually every human tissue and can compromise the
immune system, permitting opportunistic infections by other bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeast.
When mycoplasmas exit certain cells, such as synovial cells, nerve cells, among others that can be
infected, they can stimulate autoimmune response. Our recently published studies demonstrated a
possible link between mycoplasmal infections and CFS and FMS, since we found high frequencies
of mycoplasmal infections in these patients. Previously we examined patients with chronic illnesses for the presence of mycoplasmal infections. We found that about one half of patients with Gulf War Illness and two third of patients with CFS/ME and FMS were positive for mycoplasmal infections in their blood. The Gulf War Veterans suffer from signs and symptoms similar to patients diagnosed with CFS and FMS. They can be treated using antibiotics effective against mycoplasmal infections, and once they recover, their blood is no longer positive for the presence
of mycoplasmal infections. Our recent results indicate that Rheumatoid Arthritis is also associated
with mycoplasmal infections. (see 'Autoimmune Diseases')
Recent reports and publications indicate that in addition to mycoplasmal infections, CFS/ME and
FMS patients have other chronic infections caused by other intracellular bacteria and viruses. For
example, patients with Lyme Disease, caused by intracellular Borrelia infections, have been
diagnosed with CFS/ME. Also, CFS/ME and FMS patients can have intracellular Chlamydia
species infections. These patients can also have infections by other bacteria that enter their bodies
through 'leaky gut' problems. Chronically ill patients often have inflammatory bowel syndrome and
other gut problems, and this can allow pathogenic bacteria to enter their systems.
Patients with CFS/ME and FMS can also have viral infections that complicate their conditions and
cause morbidity. Such infections can occur with or without the bacterial infections described
above. Viruses that have been associated with CFS/ME and FMS are Human Herpes Virus-6
(HHV-6) and Cytomeglovirus (CMV). These viruses have been found at high incidence in
chronically ill patients, and especially those with CFS/ME. Patients with CFS/ME or FMS can
have predominantly intracellular bacterial infections, predominantly viral infections, or a
combination of intracellular bacterial and viral infections. This may be one reason why the
underlying causes of these chronic illnesses are so difficult to determine and effectively treat. The
other reason could be the persistent nature of the infections and their ability to hide inside cells
where they are essentially refractory to immune system responses, their slow growing natures and
their relative insensitivity to therapeutic drugs (see references below).
PUBLICATIONS
1
The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Mycoplasmal Infections
Antimicrob. Infect. Dis. Newsl. 1999; 17(11) : 81-88
html
doc
2
Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Mycoplasmal Infections in Fibromyalgia and
Chronic Fatigue Syndromes: Relationship to Gulf War Illness
Biomed. Therapy 1998; 16: 266-271
html
doc
3
Mycoplasmal Infections in Chronic Illnesses: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue
Syndromes, Gulf War Illness, HIV-AIDS and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Med. Sentinel 1999; 4: 172-176
html
doc
4
Multiple Mycoplasmal Infections Detected in Blood of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
and Fibromyalgia Syndrome Patients
Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 1999 ; 18 : 859-865
html
doc
5
Identification And Treatment Of Chronic Infections In CFIDS, Fibromyalgia
Syndrome And Rheumatoid Arthritis
CFIDS Chronicle 1999; 12(3): 19-21
html
doc
6
Role of Mycoplasmal Infections in Fatigue Illnesses: Chronic Fatigue and
Fibromyalgia Syndromes, Gulf War Illness and Rheumatoid Arthritis
J. Chronic Fatigue Syndr. 2000; 6(3/4):23-39
html
doc
7
Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Infections in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Gulf War Illness
International Journal of Occupational Medicine, Immunology and Toxicology
1996 ; 5 : 69-78
html
doc
8
Diagnosis and integrative treatment of intracellular bacterial infections in Chronic
Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Syndromes, Gulf War Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis and
other chronic illnesses. Clin. Pract. Alt. Medicine 2000; 1(2): 92-102
html
doc
9
Examination of mycoplasmas in blood of 565 Chronic Illness patients by polymerase
chain reaction. Intern. J. Med. Biol. Environ. 2000; 28(1): 15-23.
html
doc
10
Review: Immunology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by R. Patarca et al. J. Chronic
Fatigue Syndr. 2000; 6(3/4): 69-107.
html
doc
back to the top
REPORTS
1
Mycoplasmas: the Missing Link in Fatiguing Illnesses by Michael Guthrie Alternative
Medicine; 2001; Sept: 60-70.
html
doc
2
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and
Gulf War Illness
html
doc
3
New Treatments for Chronic Infections Found in CFS, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and
Gulf War Illnesses
American Academy of Environmental Medicine Newsletter (Winter 1997)
html
doc
4
Mycoplasmal Infections in Blood from Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Fibromyalgia Syndrome or Gulf War Illness
International CFS Congress, Sydney, Australia, 1998
html
doc
5
Identification and Treatment of Chronic Infections in Fibromyalgia Syndrome
FMS Newsletter
html
doc
6
The Role of Chronic Infections in the Maintenance and Progression of Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Immune
Deficiency Syndromes and Gulf War Illness
ME/CFS Congress, Sydney, Australia, 1999
html
doc
7
Identification and Treatment of Chronic Infections in CFIDS, Fibromyalgia Sydrome
and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients that Cause Morbidity and Illness Progression
Doctor's Educational Booklet, CFIDS Assoc. of America
html
doc
8
New Treatments for Chronic Infections Found in Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gulf War Illnesses
Kuwait University Faculty of Science and Medicine Newsletter
html
doc
9
Chronic Infections in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Sources of Morbidity and Illness
Progression.
Fibromyalgia Survivor 2000
html
doc
10
Recommendations for Diagnostic Laboratory Testing
html
doc
11
CFS National Radio Program 11/21/00 with Dr. Roger G. Mazlen interviewing Prof.
Garth Nicolson
html
doc
12
Research Overview: Professor Garth Nicolson's Studies and Treatments Explained
By Deborah Cooper, ImmuneSupport.com Treatment & Research Library
html
doc
13
Update on Gulf War Illnesses: Relationship to Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome/M.E. and the Possible Role of Vaccines By Prof. Garth
Nicolson, The Fibromyalgia Survivor, 2001
html
doc
back to the top