• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Review Article: Does the microbiome & virome contribute to me/cfs?

Adster

Senior Member
Messages
600
Location
Australia
I haven't fully read this yet so can't offer any comments:

http://www.clinsci.org/content/132/5/523

Does the microbiome and virome contribute to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome?
Fiona Newberry, Shen-Yuan Hsieh, Tom Wileman, Simon R. Carding
Clinical Science Mar 09, 2018, 132 (5) 523-542; DOI: 10.1042/CS20171330

Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (ME/CFS) is a disabling and debilitating disease of unknown aetiology. It is a heterogeneous disease characterized by various inflammatory, immune, viral, neurological and endocrine symptoms. Several microbiome studies have described alterations in the bacterial component of the microbiome (dysbiosis) consistent with a possible role in disease development. However, in focusing on the bacterial components of the microbiome, these studies have neglected the viral constituent known as the virome. Viruses, particularly those infecting bacteria (bacteriophages), have the potential to alter the function and structure of the microbiome via gene transfer and host lysis. Viral-induced microbiome changes can directly and indirectly influence host health and disease. The contribution of viruses towards disease pathogenesis is therefore an important area for research in ME/CFS. Recent advancements in sequencing technology and bioinformatics now allow more comprehensive and inclusive investigations of human microbiomes. However, as the number of microbiome studies increases, the need for greater consistency in study design and analysis also increases. Comparisons between different ME/CFS microbiome studies are difficult because of differences in patient selection and diagnosis criteria, sample processing, genome sequencing and downstream bioinformatics analysis. It is therefore important that microbiome studies adopt robust, reproducible and consistent study design to enable more reliable and valid comparisons and conclusions to be made between studies. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current evidence supporting microbiome alterations in ME/CFS patients. Additionally, the pitfalls and challenges associated with microbiome studies are discussed.
 
Messages
13
I have just found this looking for information on use of bacteriophages as potential treatment, but to my surprise I found hypothesis that phages may actually contribute to CFS by altering bacteria populations. Haven't read fully yet, but besides being generally a curious read, it also led me to research butyrate in CFS (which I'm also not done with)