Those who believe it is connected often talk about reactivation.
All herpesviruses stay in your system forever but generally remain dormant most of the time.
Most people aren’t even aware that this process is going on.
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When that happens, it’s called reactivation.
Research published in 2014 shores up that hypothesis.
That’s an impressive percentage.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
(Currently, we have no objective test fordiagnosing ME/CFS, so it remains a diagnosis of exclusion.)
More About the Epstein-Barr Virus
EBV is a nasty bug.
It’s best known for causing infectiousmononucleosis, which is frequently called mono or the “kissing disease.”
Some researchers have long believed it’s no coincidence that those are also symptoms of ME/CFS.
That has confounded attempts to explain how EBV could contribute to the illness.
This study appears to overcome that problem, though, providing an answer to that question.
That’s a topic for future research, as is finding a way to fix the blindness.
It seems that the harder EBV hits, the more likely it is to cause prolonged illness.
EBV may also play a role inmultiple sclerosis.
Some research also suggests it can mimic acuteleukemia.
None of this is conclusive, though.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
2014 Jan 15;9(1):e85387.
2014 Mar;30(1):26-8. doi:10.1007/s12288-012-0207-2
