# Project 1: Microbiology of ME/CFS

> **NIH NIH U54** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $756,543

## Abstract

Project 1
Microbiology of ME/CFS
Abstract
Many patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) report a prodrome
consistent with infection and/or inflammation. Up to 40% of patients are reported to respond to intravenous
infusions of the Toll-like receptor 3 agonist, Ampligen, a double-stranded RNA analogue proposed to inhibit
viral replication. Others report responses to antiviral drugs specific for herpesviruses, pre- and probiotics or
fecal transplantation, or monoclonal antibodies that deplete B cells. We hypothesize that at least some
ME/CFS patients have an infectious trigger for their disease, and that failures to implicate infectious agents
reflect inadequate sampling and/or inappropriate assays. To explore the role of infection and immunity in
ME/CFS, we will exploit sensitive sequence-based methods for detection and characterization of bacteria,
viruses, and fungi, using blood, oral, and fecal samples from well characterized ME/CFS cases and controls.
This project has the potential to lead to the development of animal models based on dysbiosis as well as the
identification of patients with ME/CFS who may benefit from antiviral, antibiotic, or probiotic interventions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246406
- **Project number:** 5U54AI138370-05
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** W. Ian Lipkin
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $756,543
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-22 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246406

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246406, Project 1: Microbiology of ME/CFS (5U54AI138370-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246406. Licensed CC0.

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