Scientists still don’t have the answer as to what causes chronic fatigue syndrome. It’s a rather complicated disorder that may worsen over time. The majority opinion is that a combination of factors, including some viruses, increases the risk of developing the condition.
So let’s find out if viruses cause chronic fatigue syndrome.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
This condition causes you to feel exhausted all the time. While physical activity may worsen the symptoms, they never disappear completely, even with rest.
Some common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of concentration, headaches, sore throat – and there are many more.
Do Viruses Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Researchers are still struggling to find the exact cause of the disorder. Some claim that a combination of physical and emotional stress increases chances of developing chronic fatigue syndrome.
Also, there are people who have developed the syndrome after viral infections, which motivated researchers to look into this. At this point, human herpesvirus 6, Epstein-Barr virus, and mouse leukemia virus have been connected with chronic fatigue syndrome.
One study found that untreated patients with inherited chromosomally HHV-6 and chronic fatigue syndrome demonstrated that the HHV-6 virus was rapidly replicating. Yet, it remains unknown whether the HHV-6 virus directly leads to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Risk Factors
Some of the known factors to increase the risk of getting chronic fatigue syndrome include:
- Stress level
People who are not managing stress well are at greater risk of developing the condition.
- Age
The majority of people with CFS are older than 40.
- Sex
Women tend to develop the disease more often than men. An alternative explanation is that women simply report the symptoms more frequently than men
Final Thoughts
Nobody can tell with certainty that viruses cause chronic fatigue syndrome. They may contribute to it, but there is no proof that they are the primary cause of the disorder.
