Valganciclovir is a powerful drug used to treat the human herpes virus (HHV-6). Multiple studies over the past few years have shown that a significant percentage of chronic fatigue syndrome patients test positive for HHV-6.
HHV-6 is most commonly known to cause roseola infantum in children, resulting in a fever and rash. Valganciclovir (brand name, Valcyte) is used to treat viral infections and is FDA approved to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with compromised immune systems.
According to an article in the London newspaper, Daily Mail, some of the study participants had been suffering for years, unable to leave their homes. Now they say they are able to resume normal lives. One of the study participants featured in the article was Donna Flowers, a physiotherapist and onetime champion figure skater, who lives in California’s Silicon Valley. Flowers reported that two years ago she had to spend 14 hours a day in bed, but now, since taking valganciclovir, she is back to working with young Olympic hopefuls.
Experts agree that a lot more research needs to be done before valganciclovir can be widely used as a treatment for CFS. Much larger, double-blinded placebo controlled studies must be done in order to draw any reliable conclusions. Nevertheless, the results of this one small study are encouraging and may hopefully lead to revealing at least one piece of the CFS puzzle.
Source: ”Daily Mail”, 5/16/06
