Rajeevan, Mangalathu S, Dimulescu, Irina, Murray, Janna et al. · Human immunology · 2015 · DOI
Researchers compared the genes of 50 people with ME/CFS to 121 healthy people to look for differences in genes related to immune system and inflammation. They found 32 genetic differences associated with ME/CFS, particularly in genes controlling how the body's natural defense system works. These findings suggest that problems with immune activation may play a role in ME/CFS.
This study provides genetic evidence supporting the hypothesis that abnormal innate immune activation—particularly in complement and toll-like receptor pathways—may contribute to ME/CFS pathophysiology. Understanding the genetic basis of immune dysfunction could eventually lead to better diagnostic tests and targeted treatments for ME/CFS patients.
This study does not prove that these genetic variants cause ME/CFS; it only shows association in a small sample. The findings are correlational and exploratory, and the small sample size (50 CFS cases) limits generalizability. Replication in larger, well-characterized populations is essential before clinical application.
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
Rajeevan, Mangalathu S, Dimulescu, Irina, Murray, Janna, Falkenberg, Virginia R, & Unger, Elizabeth R (2015). Pathway-focused genetic evaluation of immune and inflammation related genes with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Human immunology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humimm.2015.06.014
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-rajeevan-2015-pathway-focused,
author = {Rajeevan, Mangalathu S and Dimulescu, Irina and Murray, Janna and Falkenberg, Virginia R and Unger, Elizabeth R},
title = {Pathway-focused genetic evaluation of immune and inflammation related genes with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Human immunology},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1016/j.humimm.2015.06.014},
note = {PubMed: 26116897},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/rajeevan-2015-pathway-focused},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/rajeevan-2015-pathway-focused
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