Journal of IiME Volume 3 Issue 1 www.investinme.org P PRROOFFIILLEESS ooff PPRREESSEENNTTEERRSS aatt tthhee IINNVVEESSTT iinn MMEE I INNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALL MMEE//CCFFSS CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEE Results: ME/CFS patients (n=100, age=39.7±8.9) show evidence of multiple, systemic infections (Odds Ratio = 18.0, 95% CL 8.5-37.9, p< 0.001) that may be important in ME/CFS morbidity. ME/CFS patients had a high prevalence (51%) of 1 of 4 Mycoplasma species (OR = 13.8, 95% CL 5.8-32.9, p< 0.001) and often showed evidence of co-infections with different Mycoplasma species, Chlamydia pneumoniae (OR = 8.6, 95% CL 1.0-71.1, p< 0.01) and/or active Human Herpes Virus-6 (HHV-6) (OR = 4.5, 95% CL 2.0-10.2, p< 0.001). We found that 8% of the ME/CFS patients showed evidence of C. pn. and 31% of active HHV-6 infections.3,4 Recently we examined ASD patients (n=48, age 8.4±2.8) and found a large subset (58.3%) of ASD patients showed evidence of Mycoplasma species infections compared to age-matched control subjects (OR = 13.9, p<0.001). ASD patients also had C. pn. (4/48 or 8.3% positive, OR = 5.6, p<0.01) and HHV-6 (14/48 or 29.2%, OR = 4.5, p<0.01) infections in their blood.5,6 Conclusions: The results indicate that similar to ME/CFS patients a large subset of neurobehavioral (ASD) disease patients show evidence of chronic infections. Although there were significant differences in median age and diagnoses between the two groups of patients, they tended to have similar incidence of three types of chronic infections: Mycoplasma, Chlamydia and HHV-6. References: 1. Nicolson, G.L. Chronic infections in neurodegenerative and neurobehavioral diseases. Laboratory Medicine 2008; 39(5): 291-299. 2. Nicolson GL, Nasralla MY, Haier J et al. Mycoplasmal infections in chronic illnesses: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndromes, Gulf War Illness, HIV-AIDS and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Med Sentinel 1999; 5:172-176. 3. Nicolson GL, Nasralla M, Gan R et al. Evidence for bacterial (mycoplasma, Chlamydia) and viral (HHV-6) co-infections in chronic fatigue syndrome patients. J Chronic Fatigue Syndr 2003; 11(2):7-20. 4. Nicolson GL, Gan R, Haier J. Multiple co-infections (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, human herpesvirus-6) in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients: association with signs and symptoms. APMIS 2003; 111:557-66. 5. Nicolson GL, Berns P, Gan R, et al. Chronic mycoplasmal infections in Gulf War veterans’ children and autism patients. Med Veritas 2005; 2:383-87. 6. Nicolson GL, Gan R, Nicolson NL, et al. Evidence for Mycoplasma, Chlamydia pneunomiae and HHV-6 Co-infections in the blood of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Neuroscience Res 2007; 85:1143-48. Prof Nicolson has published over 500 peer reviewed papers, among them current content citation classics. Here a couple of examples: Metabolic syndrome and mitochondrial function: molecular replacement and antioxidant supplements to prevent membrane peroxidation and restore mitochondrial function. Nicolson GL. J Cell Biochem. 2007 Apr 15;100(6):1352-69. Review. PMID: 17243117 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Evidence for Mycoplasma ssp., Chlamydia pneunomiae, and human herpes virus-6 coinfections in the blood of patients with autistic spectrum disorders. Nicolson GL, Gan R, Nicolson NL, Haier J. J Neurosci Res. 2007 Apr;85(5):1143-8. PMID: 17265454 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) Page 62/76
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