Postinfective Fatigue Syndrome Is Not Associated with Altered Cytokine Production

Peripheral blood specimens and clinical data were obtained over a 12-month period from subjects in the Dubbo Infection Outcomes Study to examine cytokine production in postin-fective fatigue syndrome. Ex vivo production of 8 cytokines was examined in 22 case patients and in 42 control subjects who recovered promptly. No significant differences were found. Ongoing production of the cytokines examined does not play a role in postinfective fatigue syndrome. Despite intensive research efforts, the pathophysiology of the enigmatic clinical disorder chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) re-mains obscure, and effective therapies are not available [1]. Prospective cohort studies have empirically verified the exis-tence of a postinfective fatigue syndrome (PIFS) consistent with CFS that is triggered by infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Ross River virus (RRV), or Coxiella burnetii (the caus