Yersinia enterocolitica and the chronic fatigue syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the potential role of Yersinia enterocolitica in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).


METHODS
An immunoblot technique was used to detect antibodies to various Yersinia outer membrane proteins (YOPs) in serum samples from 88 patients with CFS and 77 healthy neighbourhood controls, matched for gender and age.


RESULTS
The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies to various Yersinia outer membrane proteins (YOPs) did not differ between patients with CFS and healthy controls. Twenty-four patients (27%) and nineteen controls (25%) had IgG antibodies to one or more YOPs. Four patients and two controls had both serum IgG and IgA antibodies to at least two different YOPs, compatible with a recent or persistent infection. Although all patients with positive IgG and IgA reactions to two or more YOPs had symptoms that could point to persistent Yersinia infection, these symptoms were also found frequently in patients without antibodies to YOPs.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that Y. enterocolitica is unlikely to play a major role in the aetiology of CFS.
Swanink
C M
CM
Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Stolk-Engelaar
V M
VM
van der Meer
J W
JW
Vercoulen
J H
JH
Bleijenberg
G
G
Fennis
J F
JF
Galama
J M
JM
Hoogkamp-Korstanje
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000150:complications*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G