Some people believe that enteroviruses are a major cause of ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome). They are usually spread through unclean water, e.g. lake water.
Supporters of the enterovirus theory point towards history and note that there have been outbreaks of ME/CFS following outbreaks of enteroviruses.
A study by John Chia and his son Andrew performed a study where they looked for viral capsid protein 1 (VP1), which is associated with a family of viruses called Polyomaviridae. They found that 82% of ME/CFS patients tested positive for viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) compared to 20% of controls.
Other causes
However, John Chia has always been thinking that there are multiple infectious and non-infectious causes of ME/CFS. In a letter he published with his son, probable causes include vaccination (!), viruses other than enteroviruses, neurocardiogenic hypotension, and toxic mold exposure. Only half the cases were suspected to be caused by enteroviruses.
from https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-pdf/36/5/671/1244019/36-5-671.pdf
Testing and treatment
The EVMed Research website has a section for patient education. See the laboratory testing page for information on testing. However, Chia recognizes that existing tests will miss many types of viruses so there are limitations to current testing.
For treatment, see this page:
I believe that Chia has tried many things not mentioned on the page, such as remdesivir (a drug that became easier to obtain after it received EUA approval during the pandemic). I found a little bit of information about that in a summary of his IACFS ME 2021 presentation. Other information about remdesivir and its metabolite GS-44 can be found in a post on this forum.
I only mention other treatments for the sake of completeness. Experimental medication isn’t always a good idea.
Interferons
Interferons have been widely used in conventional medicine to treat Hepatitis C. They’re not a crazy experimental treatment like remdesivir. However, many doctors don’t have experience with interferons so it may be hard to get access to them.
Russia and Ukraine have various interferon and interferon-like/related drugs that aren’t available in the Western world. However, because they aren’t available in the Western world, you will have trouble finding a doctor who has even heard about those drugs. I don’t believe that Chia uses those drugs.
Treating his son Andrew
Photo of Andrew from LinkedIn
Dr. Chia’s son Andrew came down with chronic fatigue syndrome in 1997 following a severe respiratory infection that developed into pneumonia. A high school athlete and straight A study, Andrew had to drop all sports and his grades plummeted to C”s. Andrew responded moderately well to Interferon’s but it was the addition of a Chinese herb, oxymatrine, that propelled him into full health in several months. Dr. Chia reports he can run 3 miles easily and work long hours.
Andrew Chia has been publishing various ME/CFS papers with his father. He has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for many years, first at Genentech and now at Gilead (which happens to make remdesivir).
Neither interferons or oxymatrine are mentioned on the EVMed Research page on treatments, even though Chia developed an oxymatrine product called Equilibrant.
Recap
Unfortunately ME/CFS has not been easy to treat. John Chia believes that tests are missing a lot of infections so he will consider the patient’s symptoms and history and may try various treatments to see if the patient responds.
Enteroviruses themselves are not easy to treat as there is no FDA-approved treatment for them.
