Who Gets CFS?
Introduction
| Who Gets CFS?
| Introduction
| The Name
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Nobody knows what causes CFS. However, there is much speculation, debate, and research. In this section, we will discuss some of the more common theories.
Each theory assumes that one or more agents, acting alone or in conjunction, causes CFS. First, we will discuss some ways agents can be combined into a theory, then we will discuss some possible agents.
One theory says that "CFS" is not one entity. Under this theory, what is called CFS is actually many different illnesses with different causes but similar symptoms. Another example of an illness with many causes is mental illness. At one time, all mental illness was thought to have a single cause; now mental illness is known to be an umbrella category for many discrete medical conditions.
This theory says that there is more than one agent which can cause CFS, but regardless of which agent causes CFS, the result is the same. This could happen because the person has a genetic susceptibility to infection with CFS or because they have previously been infected with some other agent which did not initially cause any symptoms. Other illnesses with common pathways include infectious mononucleosis (mono) and reactive arthritis (joint pain following various types of infections).
In this theory, there is one agent which causes disease. There are many illnesses for which this theory is correct, including measles, AIDS and tuberculosis.
Viruses which have been investigated as possible causes of CFS include Human Herpes Virus 6, Cytomegalo Virus, Coxsackie Virus, and the Epstein-Barr virus.
Various bacteria, mycoplasmas, and other non-viral infectious agents have been proposed to have a causal role in CFS.
Some people believe that CFS is either caused or aggravated by a person's own immune system mistakenly attacking friendly cells or constantly fighting non-existent threats, consuming resources the body needs for other activities.
Some people believe that CFS is caused by overexposure to toxins, both natural and synthetic.
| Who Gets CFS?
| Introduction
| The Name
|