Pathogen Effector Convergence Theory (PECT): A Protocol to Create a Unifying Framework for Post-Acute Infection Syndromes (PAISs)
Jain, Nita
Abstract
Post-infectious syndromes (ME/CFS, Long COVID, PTLDS) represent significant global health challenges with overlapping clinical manifestations despite diverse triggering pathogens. Current research paradigms, primarily focused on taxonomic classifications and pathogen-specific mechanisms, have yielded limited therapeutic advances.
The striking clinical similarities across post-infectious syndromes, despite diverse triggering pathogens, strongly suggest common mechanisms of pathogenesis. I hypothesize that diverse pathogens associated with post-infectious syndromes have evolved functionally convergent effector proteins that disrupt common cellular pathways, creating similar downstream effects despite different upstream triggers. This functional convergence may explain the shared clinical manifestations and similar treatment challenges across these conditions.
I propose the Pathogen Effector Convergence Theory (PECT), a novel framework suggesting that taxonomically diverse pathogens have evolved functionally convergent effector proteins that disrupt common cellular pathways, explaining the similar clinical manifestations across different post-infectious conditions
Web | DOI | PDF | ScienceOpen | Preprint
Jain, Nita
Abstract
Post-infectious syndromes (ME/CFS, Long COVID, PTLDS) represent significant global health challenges with overlapping clinical manifestations despite diverse triggering pathogens. Current research paradigms, primarily focused on taxonomic classifications and pathogen-specific mechanisms, have yielded limited therapeutic advances.
The striking clinical similarities across post-infectious syndromes, despite diverse triggering pathogens, strongly suggest common mechanisms of pathogenesis. I hypothesize that diverse pathogens associated with post-infectious syndromes have evolved functionally convergent effector proteins that disrupt common cellular pathways, creating similar downstream effects despite different upstream triggers. This functional convergence may explain the shared clinical manifestations and similar treatment challenges across these conditions.
I propose the Pathogen Effector Convergence Theory (PECT), a novel framework suggesting that taxonomically diverse pathogens have evolved functionally convergent effector proteins that disrupt common cellular pathways, explaining the similar clinical manifestations across different post-infectious conditions
Web | DOI | PDF | ScienceOpen | Preprint
