COVID-19 come along to be associate with a substantial rise in the act of ME / CFS cases , according to a novel study . Using data point from a long COVID research initiative run by the US National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , the scientists forecast that the incidence of ME / CFS is now 15 times higher than pre - pandemic levels , and found that people with a history of COVID are almost eight times as probable to develop the chronic condition .

“ This inquiry underscores the urging for healthcare providers to recognize post - COVID-19 ME / CFS , ” said first writer Dr Suzanne D. Vernon , inquiry director at the Bateman Horne Center , in a program line transport to IFLScience .

If that fathom familiar in the context of COVID-19 , that ’s because there are a draw of parallels between ME / CFS andlong COVID . While some affected role with farseeing COVID may have electric organ impairment cause by the computer virus itself , or be deal with the tenacious - term effects of hospitalization insurance , there are still others who recovered from a mild round of COVID only to develop symptom like brain fog , fatigue duty , and dizziness .

But while recollective COVID is a relatively new trouble , ME / CFS and the concept ofpost - viral illnesseshave been cognise about for some time . Nonetheless , many patients report difficulty accessingdiagnosisandcare , and face stigma , misunderstandings , and self-contradictory advice , as evidenced in tribute such as thispatient accountpublished in the journal Work .

It ’s now bonk beyond doubt that ME / CFS is a biological malady that affects multiple corporal organisation . There are dissimilar degrees of severity , and the condition can have a significant impact on 24-hour interval - to - day bodily function . A primal feature for many patients is post - exertional malaise , where symptoms like fatigue worsen after physical activity . TheCenters for Disease Control and Preventionsays that around a quartern of multitude with the condition are confined to bed at some point in their illness .

Given all we have learned about long COVID since the pandemic was declared almost five years ago , the researchers behind the new study wanted to face at the possible human relationship between COVID and ME / CFS .

They turn to data from theRECOVER Initiative , an NIH - fund project that was set up to be “ the world ’s most comprehensive and diverse ” study of long COVID . This analysis included 11,785 participants with a chronicle of SARS - CoV-2 infection and 1,439 who had not been infect .

The team assess how many of the participant meet the diagnostic criteria for ME / CFS at least 6 months after havingCOVID-19 . It ’s deserving noting that these criteria swear on ego - reporting of symptom , which was highlight as a restriction of the study .

ME / CFS was find to come about in 4.5 per centum of infected participants versus just 0.6 percent of uninfected participant . Almost 90 percentage of those who met the criteria for ME / CFS had also been identify as among the most diagnostic long COVID patients , play up the crossover between the two conditions .

“ These findings supply extra evidence that infections , including those induce by SARS - CoV-2 , can lead to ME / CFS , ” write the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in astatementon the study .

The most commonly report symptom by the age group werepost - exertional uneasiness , orthostatic intolerance ( dizziness when bear up ) , and cognitive impairments . These are also symptom reported by many recollective COVID affected role , and the author say there ’s an urgent need for more enquiry to understand why COVID can lead to chronic sickness in some , and who may be predisposed .

“ This research underscore the importunity for healthcare providers to recognize post - COVID-19 ME / CFS . other diagnosis and proper direction can transform aliveness , ” enjoin Vernon .

The sketch is published in theJournal of General Internal Medicine .

Anearlier versionof this story was put out in January 2025 .