Evidence of recent Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in individuals experiencing Long COVID, 2022, Michael J Peluso et al

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation has been proposed as a driver of Long COVID (LC), but studies in well-characterized post-acute COVID-19 cohorts of individuals with and without Long COVID symptoms over a time course consistent with current case definitions of LC are limited. In a cohort of 294 hundred adults with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we observed that LC symptoms such as fatigue and neurocognitive dysfunction at a median of 4 months following initial diagnosis were associated with serological evidence of recent EBV reactivation (early antigen-D IgG positivity or nuclear antigen IgG levels >600 U/mL), but not with ongoing EBV viremia.. Importantly, Long COVID was also observed in the small proportion without evidence of prior or recent EBV infection, suggesting that EBV reactivation is not a prerequisite for this condition.

Overall, these findings expand our knowledge of the relationships between EBV reactivation and LC and suggest that further assessment during the acute phase of COVID-19 is warranted.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.21.22276660v1

 

IMO, EBV needs to be taken more seriously.
It seems it's another disease that has been dismissed as of little consequence. Laughed off as the cause of "kissing disease" in teenagers.

Recently, it's come to light EBV could play a role in MS. And, many pwME have noted EBV appeared to initiate their ME.

Perhaps COVID research might help illuminate how EBV is or isn't involved in some other illnesses.

 

Reactivation of EBV and HHV6 brought on OI/autonomic impairment 10 years after having M.E.

 

Personally, I think HHV6 is very important...But maybe because I got sucked into reading a few books by Charles Ortleb whose credibility I am not sure about...anyone else know?? https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/539338.Charles_Ortleb.

 

Pre-teen age, I was exposed too EBV in my home. Never developed the standard symptoms, but my propreoception was out of kilter for about a year: hit doorways instead of going through the entrances, and it was noteable that I was bumping into people in crowded settings, whereas before this was not a problem. I did not seek any assistance for this. Perhaps, even at that age I knew these odd symptoms would not be believed. Maybe this wasn't EBV, but several flares of EBV, and ongoing ME, have caused the same, and many other symptoms.