Simon McGrath comments on a research paper: Evaluation of Prolonged Fatigue Post–West Nile Virus Infection and Association of Fatigue with Elevated Antiviral and Proinflammatory Cytokines

Extract:
31% of the cohort were fatigued at follow-up (44/140) and “Of those with fatigue postinfection, 28 (64%) met the CDC’s case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome (Fukuda)”.

Unfortunately, the rest of the data is for all fatigued patients, not only those who met Fukuda. Also note there were no lab tests or medical/psychiatric exam to confirm CFS diagnosis. So this study is only indicative of CFS post West Nile Virus, but is, I think, still of interest. Note that for all fatigued patients combined, 82% had cognitive problems, 75% had PEM and 75% sleep problems.

The biggest predictor of developing fatigue after WNV infection was having a symptomatic infection (most infections produce no symptoms), and 42/44 or 95% of those fatigued at follow-up had symptoms on infection. The other predictors were being female and being younger (under 50 at infection).

Prolonged Fatigue [CFS] & cytokines post-West Nile Virus Infection, in USA