My theory is that fingerprint changes in ME/CFS is likely caused by elevated connective tissue-degrading enzymes, such as
neutrophil elastase, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes such as
MMP-9.
MMP-9 is known to be elevated in coxsackievirus B infections.
I had a significant skin changes after catching the suspected Coxsackie B4 virus that I think triggered by ME/CFS, most notably a
fine crêpe paper-like wrinkling, especially on the tops of my hands (pictures of the virally-induced skin wrinkles on my hands can bee seen at the bottom of
this webpage of my website).
My skin wrinkles are not normal skin aging, because these wrinkles appeared rapidly within the first year or of catching my virus (agin happens more slowly over decades). The same skin wrinkles also appeared on many other people who caught my virus. In older people (60 or over) who caught my virus, the skin changes were body-wide, and my virus rapidly caused an overall sagging of the skin (much like the sagging skin pictures on the above webpage), as well as fine crêpe paper-like wrinkling.
Sagging skin and fine crêpe paper-like wrinkling are symptoms found in the dermatological condition called
mid-dermal elastolysis (MDE), a disease where the MMP-9 destroys the elastin in the skin, causing these symptoms.
The skin changes caused by my virus look very much like MDE, although at present MDE has not been linked to any infectious causes (but I suspect that enteroviruses such as coxsackievirus B or echovirus could well be the cause of MDE).
MMP-9 also plays a role in receding gums (periodontal disease), which is another symptom my Coxsackie virus also rapidly induced in me, and in others who caught it.
One standard medical treatment for periodontitis is low dose
doxycycline (20 mg daily), because doxycycline is an MMP-9 inhibitor. Another potent MMP-9 inhibitor is the Indian herbal formula
triphala. Ref:
1
MMP-9 could be playing a role in the cognitive symptoms of ME/CFS, because firstly MMP-9 is neurotoxic, and secondly because MMP-9 regulates the NMDA receptor. Ref:
1
Dr Richie Shoemaker used to test for elevated MMP-9 in his patients.