Infection and vaccination in chronic fatigue syndrome: Myth or reality?

Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by severe disabling fatigue lasting for more than 6 months associated with physical and mental disturbances such as headache, arthralgia, myalgia, memory impairment, sore throat and tender lymph nodes. The exact pathogenesis is still unknown. Several models were proposed to explain its etiology including chronic infection, endocrine dysfunction, autonomic imbalance, depression, decreased immunity states and an aberrant reaction to infection. No convincing evidence was found to support any of the suggested pathogenic mechanisms. The current concept is that CFS pathogenesis is a multi factorial condition in which an infective agent cause an aberrant immune response characterized by a shift to Th-2 dominant response. When the response fails to be switched-off, a chronic immune activation occurs and clinically expressed as the symptomatology of CFS. Vaccinations are used in order to stimulate the immune system to induce a persistent immunity against the favorable antigens. Several syndromes that contain chronic fatigue as one of their symptoms, such as "Gulf war syndrome" and macrophagic myofasciitis were related to vaccinations. Can vaccinations induce the aberrant immune response of CFS? Little is known about this issue. There are some reports on CFS occurring after vaccination, but few prospective and retrospective studies failed to find such an association. A working group of the Canadian Laboratory Center for Disease Control (LCDC) that was founded in order to examine the suspected association between CFS and vaccinations concluded that there is no evidence that relates CFS to vaccination. Further studies are requested to examine this issue since it is very conceivable that if infection can lead to CFS, vaccination may also lead to it in the same immune-mediated pathogenesis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Inflammation, immune function, and neuroendocrine interactions

“…Some researchers have theorized that if infections can lead to an aberrant shift to an unremitting Th2 dominant response, then perhaps vaccines can cause the same reaction, because immunizations are designed to induce a persistent immunity to antigens. Although further investigation is needed, a recent study provides evidence that vaccines do not lead to CFS symptoms [6].…”

Evaluation of sex, race, body mass index and pre-vaccination serum progesterone levels and post-vaccination serum anti-anthrax protective immunoglobulin G on injection site adverse events following anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) in the CDC AVA human clinical trial

“…The original approved AVA regimen consisted of 0.5 mL SQ injections at 0, 2 and 4 weeks and 6, 12, and 18 months with annual boosters thereafter [1]. Since the introduction of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) mandatory anthrax vaccination program in 1998 [2], service personnel and others have raised concerns that subsequently have been addressed in various published studies, including those related to high rates of injection site adverse events, (AEs) particularly in women [3–8]; potential reproductive toxicity [9–11]; physical disability [12–15]; and nonspecific longer term symptoms such as Gulf War and chronic fatigue syndromes [16–19]. In 1999, the US Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AVA and in particular an apparent sex difference in the occurrence of AEs.…”

Personality Features and Personality Disorders in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Population-Based Study

“…In particular, studies have examined the relationship between fatigue and neuroticism, which may also be characterized by a tendency to display high emotional reactivity. Neuroticism has also been associated with negative health outcomes [13]. In general, a positive association between neuroticism and fatigue has been found [14], with CFS patients showing higher levels compared to healthy controls [15] and the general population [16].…”