title: Human endogenous retrovirus-K18 superantigen expression and human herpesvirus-6 and human herpesvirus-7 viral loads in chronic fatigue patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex, heterogeneous disease characterized by debilitating fatigue that is not improved with bed rest and worsens after physical activity or mental exertion. Despite extensive research into a cause of CFS, no definitive etiology has been determined; however, a large percentage of CFS patients note an acute infectious event that triggers their fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood and saliva were collected from 39 CFS cases and 9 healthy control subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were tested for human endogenous retrovirus-K18 (HERV-K18) env transcripts using a TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In addition, viral copy number of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) were measured in both saliva and PBMCs using TaqMan qPCRs. Transcript levels and viral copy number were compared to patient CFS symptom severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HERV-K18 env transcripts were not significantly different between healthy control subjects and CFS patients. Also, HERV-K18 env transcripts did not correlate with HHV-6 viral copy number or HHV-7 viral copy number in either PBMCs or saliva. HHV-6 viral copy number and HHV-7 viral copy number in both PBMCs and saliva were not significantly different between healthy control subjects and CFS patients. HERV-K18 env transcripts, HHV-6 viral copy number, and HHV-7 viral copy number did not correlate with CFS symptom severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We fail to demonstrate a difference in HERV-K18 env transcripts, HHV-6 viral copy number, and HHV-7 viral copy number between CFS patients and healthy controls. Our data do not support the hypothesis of reactivation of HHV-6 or HHV-7 in CFS.
authors: Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Brendan
authors: B
authors: Oakes
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Hoagland-Henefield
authors: Anthony L
authors: AL
authors: Komaroff
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Erickson
authors: Brigitte T
authors: BT
authors: Huber
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018089:Superantigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D019562:Viral Load; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018089:Superantigens; D014764:Viral Proteins