Skip to main content
Canadian Family Physician logoLink to Canadian Family Physician
. 1987 May;33:1217–1219.

Post-Infectious Fatigue

Irving E Salit
PMCID: PMC2218522  PMID: 21263931

Abstract

Post-infectious fatigue or post-infectious neuromyasthenia (PIN) is an illness characterized by persisting fatigue and disability after apparent acute infections. In most cases the illness is attributed to a chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection. Symptoms include weakness and fatigue in the absence of physical findings or significant laboratory abnormalities. These patients are frequently depressed and have considerable disability resulting in prolonged loss of time from work. The illness may be persistent or can be relapsing, but often lingers for two years or more. There is no effective therapy. Pin is probably caused by an acute infection occurring in patients who are psychologically susceptible. They require emotional support, reassurance and explanation.

Keywords: post-infections neurasthenia, chronic Epstein-Barr virus

Full text

PDF
1219

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. CROWLEY N., NELSON M., STOVIN S. Epidemiological aspects of an outbreak of encephalomyelitis at the Royal Free Hospital, London, in the summer of 1955. J Hyg (Lond) 1957 Mar;55(1):102–122. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400061295. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. HENDERSON D. A., SHELOKOV A. Epidemic neuromyasthenia; clinical syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1959 Apr 9;260(15):757–contd. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195904092601506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Jones J. F., Ray C. G., Minnich L. L., Hicks M. J., Kibler R., Lucas D. O. Evidence for active Epstein-Barr virus infection in patients with persistent, unexplained illnesses: elevated anti-early antigen antibodies. Ann Intern Med. 1985 Jan;102(1):1–7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-102-1-. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Salit I. E. Sporadic postinfectious neuromyasthenia. CMAJ. 1985 Oct 1;133(7):659–663. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Straus S. E., Tosato G., Armstrong G., Lawley T., Preble O. T., Henle W., Davey R., Pearson G., Epstein J., Brus I. Persisting illness and fatigue in adults with evidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection. Ann Intern Med. 1985 Jan;102(1):7–16. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-102-1-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Taerk G. S., Toner B. B., Salit I. E., Garfinkel P. E., Ozersky S. Depression in patients with neuromyasthenia (benign myalgic encephalomyelitis). Int J Psychiatry Med. 1987;17(1):49–56. doi: 10.2190/8r67-n9er-xr74-9ra7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Family Physician are provided here courtesy of College of Family Physicians of Canada

RESOURCES