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Abstract
The frequent association of an active viral infection with the symptoms of CFS led
researchers to hypothesize that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is induced by a virus.
Results of these studies indicated that despite clinical support for this hypothesis,
there were no clear data linking viruses to CFS. In this overview, we will explore
the interrelation of the immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems, and the possibility
that stress and/or the reactivation/replication of a latent virus (such as Epstein
Barr virus) could modulate the immune system to induce CFS. Relevant research conducted
in the developing field of psychoneuroimmunology will be reviewed, with a particular
focus on cytokine synthesis, natural killer (NK) cell activity, and T-lymphocyte function,
as they relate to CFS.