1. Sign our petition calling on Cochrane to withdraw their review of Exercise Therapy for CFS here.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Guest, the 'News in Brief' for the week beginning 8th April 2024 is here.
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Welcome! To read the Core Purpose and Values of our forum, click here.
    Dismiss Notice

Herpes viruses - old research - any updates?

Discussion in 'ME/CFS research' started by Amw66, Jul 2, 2018.

  1. Amw66

    Amw66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    6,318
    oldtimer, Inara and adambeyoncelowe like this.
  2. Hip

    Hip Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    726
    Yes, Dr William Pridgen has adopted this idea of a herpesvirus infection in the dorsal root ganglia (and possibly in other nerve ganglia) as the basis of his theory for the cause of fibromyalgia. He believes his theory might apply to ME/CFS also. Though he thinks it is more HSV-1 infection than VZV infection that is the issue in these ganglia.

    Pridgen's treatment protocol involves combining two drugs that fight HSV-1: famciclovir plus celecoxib. He has completed a successful phase II clinical trial using this protocol for fibromyalgia, and is now looking at a phase IIII trial. And I know he is also testing whether his protocol might work for ME/CFS patients.

    Articles about Dr Pridgen's work here and here.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2018
    sb4, Trish, Amw66 and 2 others like this.
  3. Inara

    Inara Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    2,734
    Interesting article. Thanks @Hip for your comment.

    The hypothesis - a herpes virus (Varizella Zoster) in the root ganglia - would fit the autopsy findings in those who died from ME. Wouldn't it?
     
    Amw66 likes this.
  4. Amw66

    Amw66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    6,318
    Yes, that's what piqued my interest a bit more
     
    Inara likes this.
  5. Inara

    Inara Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    2,734
    It would also fit my n=1 observation in a family member who definitely has chronic herpes infections, including Varizella Zoster, where differerent nerves (e.g. the trigeminal one) are affected.
     
    Amw66 likes this.
  6. Amw66

    Amw66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    6,318
    As my daughter had both chickenpox and shingles in primary school, then glandular fever it definately intrigues me.
     
    Inara likes this.
  7. Hip

    Hip Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    726
    In the case of ME/CFS patient Sophia Mirza, the autopsy found that 80% of the dorsal root ganglia along her spine were damaged due to ganglionitis (inflammation of the ganglion). However, the cause of that damage was not established (they did not link it to herpesvirus infections), but it is known herpesviruses can infect these ganglia.
     
    Inara and Amw66 like this.

Share This Page