Reader Comments

Post a new comment on this article

Did the researchers have the opportunity to look at viral antibodies?

Posted by Jacquelineerose on 08 Jan 2012 at 01:20 GMT

EBV and HHV-6 are a couple of viruses that have been thought to be associated with myalgic encephalitis. Some ME patients have been found to have high titers of antibodies to one or both viruses. Indeed some researchers have treated such patients with an extended regimen of antivirals. I was wondering if the researchers of this study measured antibody titers before the research intervention and then afterward. It would be interesting to know if the study patients had had elevated titers and if the treatment with rituximab had any effect on the levels afterward. If the patients had elevated titers and the titers were lowered with treatment, there are many interesting theories that could account for that result.

No competing interests declared.
report a concern respond to this posting