Viral infection, a suggestive hypothesis for aetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract

Many studies have indicated that viruses can interact with mitochondria and affect their function. Further, emerging data now show that many more viruses may influence the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis and thus there is widespread potential for interaction with the respiratory chain in this organelle. Such interactions could have consequences for the clinical outcome of persistent viral infections when energy generation is disturbed; and eventually will be a possible cause for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Therefore, it is hypothesized that viral infections maybe the main aetiology for this syndrome.