Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and circulating cell-free DNA from
plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued subjects.

BMC Microbiol 2002 Dec 23;2(1):39 [epub ahead of print]

Suzanne D. Vernon [1] , Sanjay K. Shukla [2] , Jennifer Conradt
[2] , Elizabeth R. Unger [1] , William C. Reeves [1]

Affiliations: [1] Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National
Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333,
[2] Clinical Research Center, Marshfield Medical Research Foundation,
1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield WI 54449-5790

NLM Citation: PMID: 12498618


Background. The association of an infectious agent with chronic fatigue
syndrome (CFS) has been difficult and is further complicated by the lack
of a known lesion or diseased tissue. Cell-free plasma DNA could serve as
a sentinel of infection and disease occurring throughout the body. This
type of systemic sample coupled with broad-range amplification of
bacterial sequences was used to determine whether a bacterial pathogen
was associated with CFS. Plasma DNA from 34 CFS and 55 non-fatigued
subjects was assessed to determine plasma DNA concentration and the
presence of bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences.

Results. DNA was isolated from 81 (91%) of 89 plasma samples. The 55
non-fatigued subjects had higher plasma DNA concentrations than those
with CFS (average 151 versus 91 ng) and more CFS subjects (6/34, 18%) had
no detectable plasma DNA than non-fatigued subjects (2/55, 4%), but these
differences were not significant. Bacterial sequences were detected in 23
(26%) of 89. Only 4 (14%) CFS subjects had 16S rDNA sequences amplified
from plasma compared with 17 (32%) of the non-fatigued (P = 0.03). All
but 1 of the 23 16S rDNA amplicon-positive subjects had five or more
unique sequences present.

Conclusions. CFS subjects had slightly lower concentrations or no
detectable plasma DNA than non-fatigued subjects. There was a diverse
array of 16S rDNA sequences in plasma DNA from both CFS and non-fatigued
subjects. There were no unique, previously uncharacterized or predominant
16S rDNA sequences in either CFS or non-fatigued subjects.
Uncharacterized prokaryotic sequences found.

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