Gherardi, Romain K, Crépeaux, Guillemette, Authier, François-Jérome · Autoimmunity reviews · 2019 · DOI
This review examines whether ME/CFS could be triggered by aluminum-containing substances in certain vaccines. The authors present evidence that aluminum particles may persist in immune cells and travel to the brain, potentially causing the cognitive problems, muscle pain, and fatigue seen in ME/CFS. They argue this condition represents a broader category of vaccine-related adverse effects called ASIA.
This research proposes a potential mechanistic explanation for ME/CFS onset and identifies aluminum adjuvants as a possible trigger, which could redirect clinical investigation and vaccine formulation strategies. If substantiated, it would provide biological justification for investigating post-vaccination ME/CFS cases and inform both patient care and public health policy.
This review does not prove a causal relationship between vaccines and ME/CFS—it presents correlational and mechanistic evidence. The work does not establish the frequency of this adverse effect across vaccinated populations, nor does it prove all ME/CFS cases originate from vaccination. The cited epidemiological study has not been independently replicated in the published literature.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Gherardi, Romain K, Crépeaux, Guillemette, & Authier, François-Jérome (2019). Myalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome following immunization: macrophagic myofasciitis and animal studies support linkage to aluminum adjuvant persistency and diffusion in the immune system.. Autoimmunity reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2019.05.006
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-gherardi-2019-myalgia-chronic,
author = {Gherardi, Romain K and Crépeaux, Guillemette and Authier, François-Jérome},
title = {Myalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome following immunization: macrophagic myofasciitis and animal studies support linkage to aluminum adjuvant persistency and diffusion in the immune system.},
journal = {Autoimmunity reviews},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1016/j.autrev.2019.05.006},
note = {PubMed: 31059838},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gherardi-2019-myalgia-chronic},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gherardi-2019-myalgia-chronic
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