Tziastoudi, Maria, Cholevas, Christos, Stefanidis, Ioannis et al. · Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2022 · DOI
This study looked at genetic research on both COVID-19 and ME/CFS to see if they share common genetic factors that might explain why both conditions cause extreme fatigue. Researchers reviewed 71 studies on COVID-19 genetics and 26 studies on ME/CFS genetics, then identified six genes that appear in both conditions. The findings suggest that immune system dysfunction—specifically problems with inflammation and how immune cells communicate—may play a role in both illnesses.
This research provides important evidence that ME/CFS and COVID-19 may share underlying genetic vulnerabilities related to immune dysfunction, which could help explain why some people develop ME/CFS after COVID-19 infection. Understanding these shared genetic pathways could inform future diagnostic approaches and therapeutic targets for both conditions. The identification of specific genes involved offers a foundation for more targeted research into the biological mechanisms of ME/CFS.
This study does not prove that these genetic variants cause ME/CFS or COVID-19, only that they are statistically associated with these conditions. The findings are correlational and do not establish causation or explain why some genetically predisposed individuals develop these diseases while others do not. The review also cannot determine whether genetic factors alone are sufficient to cause disease or what environmental triggers may be necessary.
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
Tziastoudi, Maria, Cholevas, Christos, Stefanidis, Ioannis, & Theoharides, Theoharis C (2022). Genetics of COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.. Annals of clinical and translational neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/acn3.51631
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-tziastoudi-2022-genetics-covid,
author = {Tziastoudi, Maria and Cholevas, Christos and Stefanidis, Ioannis and Theoharides, Theoharis C},
title = {Genetics of COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.},
journal = {Annals of clinical and translational neurology},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1002/acn3.51631},
note = {PubMed: 36204816},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tziastoudi-2022-genetics-covid},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tziastoudi-2022-genetics-covid
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