Myalgic encephalomyelitis and Long COVID have overlapping presentation

Authors Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik and Dr Natalie Eaton-Fitch were invited to contribute a perspectives article reflecting on decades of research on ME/CFS. Myalgic encephalomyelitis and Long COVID have overlapping presentation.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) presents as a range of symptoms that affect multiple organ systems. Enteric dysbiosis, neurological and immune dysfunction, as well as impaired mitochondrial function are implicated in the pathomechanism of ME/CFS. These symptoms also occur in Long COVID, although with differing prevalence.

Proposed mechanisms underlying ME/CFS

Given the many parallels between ME/CFS and Long COVID, this article reviewed numerous hypotheses for ME/CFS including neurocognitive, immunological, gastrointestinal and mitochondrial features of ME/CFS and how these findings may provide a platform to expedite Long COVID research.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo1261

*National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University

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