HERPANGINA SORE THROAT AND CRIMSON CRESCENTS
I wonder if there is a connection between
herpangina type sore throats, and
crimson crescents? Are crimson crescents in fact the smoldering remnants of the original herpangina sore throat that started many people's chronic fatigue syndrome (and never quite cleared up, the throat always remaining very slightly sore)?
Herpangina is a sore throat where the redness and inflammation is centered on the "anterior tonsillar pillars" (the two anterior pillars are at the back of the soft palette, running down from the uvula to the lower jaw). NOW INTERESTINGLY, THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE THE CRIMSON CRESCENTS ARE FOUND.
Sometimes the red inflammation of herpangina is confined just to one side (on only one of the anterior pillars).
My CFS began as a herpangina sore throat (but only on one side of my throat, in my case). Originally, my anterior pillar looked red and inflamed (classic case of herpangina), but now it has definitely turned crimson after several years. I suspect that this crimson color may result from a continuing low-level viral infection in this part of the soft palette.
Herpangina sore throat is only caused by certain viruses: coxsackievirus B1 to B6, coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71. More rarely, herpangina can be caused by echovirus, parechovirus 1, adenovirus, and herpes simplex virus (reference
here).
Perhaps the crimson areas are just a chronic, low-level continuing viral infection. Perhaps in people with CFS, there are many areas in the interior of the body that harbor this low-level continuing viral infection, and would look crimson if we could see them.
How many people here with crimson crescents have a chronic, low-level sore throat?
And, if you can remember, did your CFS begin with a herpangina sore throat?