Short review here two research articles that focus on  HHV6 and 7.  Basically that there is some sort of connection developing with CFS.

 

My question is how many gulf war veterans have been tested for HHV6 and 7?  Also there is some discussion of HHV 6 and 7 associated with MS and seizure disorder.

 

The good news here is that you can get tested!  And there is potential treatment.

 

May be one step forward for all....

 

Again all please give me feedback.

 

 

 

 

1: J Clin Virol. 2006 Dec;37 Suppl 1:S47-51.  Links

Activation of human herpesviruses 6 and 7 in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

• Chapenko S,
• Krumina A,
• Kozireva S,
• Nora Z,
• Sultanova A,
• Viksna L,
• Murovska M.

August Kirchenstein Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, Ratsupites St.1, Riga, LV-1067, Latvia.

BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and 7 (HHV-7) have been suggested as possible triggering agents for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). OBJECTIVES: To determine the possible association of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections with CFS. STUDY DESIGN: The prevalence of latent/persistent and active viral infections by nPCR, characteristic of HHV-6 variants using restriction endonuclease analysis and changes of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood by laser flow-cytometry in 17 CFS patients was examined. In addition, 12 patients with unexplained chronic fatigue and 20 blood donors (BD) were studied. RESULTS: No difference in prevalence of latent/persistent single viral infections between the patients and BD was found but dual infection rate was significantly higher in CFS patients. Active HHV-6 and dual (HHV-6 + HHV-7) infections were detected in CFS patients only and frequency of HHV-7 reactivation was also significantly higher in these patients. HHV-6 variant B was predominant in CFS patients (12/13). The changes of immunological parameters in CFS patients with active dual infection were characterized by significant decrease of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells, significant increase of CD95+ cells and decrease of CD4+/CD8+ ratio. CONCLUSIONS: HHV-6 and HHV-7 may be involved in the pathogenesis of CFS and reactivation of both viruses may provoke changes in the phenotype of circulating lymphocytes.

PMID: 17276369 [PubMed - in process]

Frequent HHV-6 reactivation in multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients. [J Clin Virol. 2000] PMID: 10738137

Co-infection of two beta-herpesviruses (CMV and HHV-7) as an increased risk factor for 'CMV disease' in patients undergoing renal transplantation. [Clin Transplant. 2000] PMID: 11048994

[High prevalence without reactivation of herpes virus 6 in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome] [An Med Interna. 1997] PMID: 9453750

Dynamics of chronic active herpesvirus-6 infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: data acquisition for computer modeling. [In Vivo. 2001] PMID: 11887330

Antibody responses to Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6 and human herpesvirus 7 in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. [Intervirology. 1995] PMID: 8724857

 

1: J Clin Virol. 2006 Dec;37 Suppl 1:S39-46.  Links

Is human herpesvirus-6 a trigger for chronic fatigue syndrome?

• Komaroff AL.

Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 10 Shattuck Street, Suite 602, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness currently defined entirely by a combination of non-specific symptoms. Despite this subjective definition, CFS is associated with objective underlying biological abnormalities, particularly involving the nervous system and immune system. Most studies have found that active infection with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) - a neurotropic, gliotropic and immunotropic virus - is present more often in patients with CFS than in healthy control and disease comparison subjects, yet it is not found in all patients at the time of testing. Moreover, HHV-6 has been associated with many of the neurological and immunological findings in patients with CFS. Finally, CFS, multiple sclerosis and seizure disorders share some clinical and laboratory features and, like CFS, the latter two disorders also are being associated increasingly with active HHV-6 infection. Therefore, it is plausible that active infection with HHV-6 may trigger and perpetuate CFS in a subset of patients.

PMID: 17276367 [PubMed - in process]