Abstract:
Reports on conditions of chronic fatigue associated with other somatopsychic symptoms after acute viral infections have led to the hypothesis of a “chronic fatigue syndrome” (CFS). Historical disease descriptions, like e.g. “myalgic encephalomyelitits”, were updated by means of modern virological diagnostic techniques and data analysis.
Several viral agents like enteroviruses, Epstein-Barr virus, Human-Herpesvirus 6 and other herpesviruses have been implicated for possible underlying infections. A preliminary disease definition by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) seeks to provide a rational basis for further etiological studies. In fact, there is growing consensus that the syndrome comprises various separate disease entities and causative agents.
Today we can tentatively differentiate a “chronic mononucleosis” after infection with Epstein-Barr virus, an etiologically undetermined “postviral fatigue syndrome” and a fatigue syndrome of the myalgic type after Coxsackie-B virus infection. Furthermore, a valid diagnosis of CFS must be based on the exclusion of defined other diseases and the awareness of dealing with a hypothetical concept. As a result, current knowledge does not yet allow specific therapeutic recommendations.
Source: Ewig S, Dengler HJ. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Klin Wochenschr. 1990 Aug 17;68(16):789-96. [Article in German] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2170741