Gustaw, Katarzyna · Neurologia i neurochirurgia polska · 2003
This study looked at whether ME/CFS develops more often in people who have had tick-borne infections like Lyme disease (borreliosis) or tick-borne encephalitis. Researchers examined 86 patients with a history of these infections and found that about half developed ME/CFS. Notably, 71% of those who had Lyme disease developed ME/CFS, compared to only 24% of those who had tick-borne encephalitis. When patients with Lyme disease history were treated with standard ME/CFS treatments, about 61% felt better.
This research supports the hypothesis that some cases of ME/CFS may be triggered or facilitated by specific infections, particularly Lyme disease. Understanding post-infectious mechanisms could help identify treatable subsets of ME/CFS patients and guide development of targeted interventions.
This study does not prove that tick-borne infections cause ME/CFS, only that these conditions co-occur more frequently than might be expected. The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal sequence or causality. The study also does not identify the biological mechanisms linking these infections to ME/CFS development.
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
Gustaw, Katarzyna (2003). [Chronic fatigue syndrome following tick-borne diseases].. Neurologia i neurochirurgia polska. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15174234/
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-gustaw-2003-chronic-fatigue,
author = {Gustaw, Katarzyna},
title = {[Chronic fatigue syndrome following tick-borne diseases].},
journal = {Neurologia i neurochirurgia polska},
year = {2003},
note = {PubMed: 15174234},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gustaw-2003-chronic-fatigue},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gustaw-2003-chronic-fatigue
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