Valganciclovir (Valcyte) for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients who have
elevated antibody titers against Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV-6)and Epstein-Barr
Virus (EBV)
Valtrex is
an antiviral drug approved to treat genital herpes infection, herpes zoster
(shingles) and herpes labialis (cold sores) infections. Dr. Martin Lerner
of Royal Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, is currently investigating
its efficacy in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients with Epstein-Barr
virus infections. Valtrex is converted in the body to acyclovir which inhibits
viral DNA replication. It is produced by GlaxoSmithKline
José Montoya, MD, associate professor of medicine (infectious diseases),
and postdoctoral scholar Andreas Kogelnik, MD, PhD, have used the drug valganciclovir
— an antiviral often used in treating diseases caused by human herpes viruses
— to treat a small number of CFS patients.