title: Mycoplasma blood infection in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndromes.
abstract: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are characterised by a lack of consistent laboratory and clinical abnormalities. Although they are distinguishable as separate syndromes based on established criteria, a great number of patients are diagnosed with both. In studies using polymerase chain reaction methods, mycoplasma blood infection has been detected in about 50% of patients with CFS and/or FMS, including patients with Gulf War illnesses and symptoms that overlap with one or both syndromes. Such infection is detected in only about 10% of healthy individuals, significantly less than in patients. Most patients with CFS/FMS who have mycoplasma infection appear to recover and reach their pre-illness state after long-term antibiotic therapy with doxycycline, and the infection can not be detected after recovery. By means of causation and therapy, mycoplasma blood infection may permit a further subclassification of CFS and FMS. It is not clear whether mycoplasmas are associated with CFS/FMS as causal agents, cofactors, or opportunistic infections in patients with immune disturbances. Whether mycoplasma infection can be detected in about 50% of all patient populations with CFS and/or FMS is yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, The National Hospital, University of Oslo, Forskningsvn. 2-Block B, 0027, Oslo, Norway. gerhard.endresen@rikshospitalet.no
authors.forename: Gerhard K M
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Endresen
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018923:Persian Gulf Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline