YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA AND THE CHRONIC-FATIGUE-SYNDROME

Objectives: To investigate the potential role of Yersinia enterocoliti ca in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Methods: An immuno blot technique was used to detect antibodies to various Yersinia outer membrane proteins (YOPs) in serum samples from 88 patients with CFS a nd 77 healthy neighbourhood controls, matched for gender and age. Resu lts: The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies to various Yersinia oute r membrane proteins (YOPs) did not differ between patients with CFS an d healthy controls. Twenty-four patients (27%) and nineteen controls ( 25%) had IgG antibodies to one or more YOPs. Four patients and two con trols had both serum IgG and IgA antibodies to at least two different YOPs, compatible with a recent or persistent infection. Although all p atients with positive IgG and IgA reactions to two or more YOPs had sy mptoms that could point to persistent Yersinia infection, these sympto ms 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.