The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses a major health problem worldwide. By September 2022, over 600 million cases had been reported, with over 6.47 million SARS-CoV-2-related deaths (WHO dashboard, September 2, 2022). Most ongoing studies and clinical trials focus on disease prevention and treatment of acute COVID-19. However, 1-10% of patients who previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 develop sequelae known as long COVID. Regardless of the severity of acute COVID-19 disease, symptoms often include debilitating fatigue, malaise after exertion, neurocognitive disorders, and immune disorders. Long COVID fatigue overlaps in part with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). It is also suspected that long COVID fatigue could develop into ME/CFS.
Our goal is to contribute our expertise in ME/CFS research to a Long COVID pilot project in order to facilitate knowledge transfer. Our study focuses on the activity of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in long COVID patients. The human herpes virus has previously been linked to the onset of ME/CFS. We therefore suspect that EBV reactivation is associated with the onset of post-viral fatigue following SARS-Cov-2 infection. In our prospective study, 30 long COVID patients and 20 convalescent COVID-19 patients were recruited. Plasma, stool, and throat swab samples were collected at least 10 weeks after the acute COVID-19 phase.
The data is curated and analyzed at the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research at the Medical University of Vienna. The population of ME/CFS patients will increase and will also include young adults who have an asymptomatic course of the disease and are unaware of their infection. The data obtained in our project will support the medical care of patients currently suffering from ME/CFS and at the same time provide disease prevention strategies for future patients with post-viral fatigue.
