Chronic fatigue syndrome and the diagnostic utility of antibody to Epstein-Barr virus early antigen.

Antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) early antigen has been said to be the most specific indicator of symptomatic chronic EBV infection. We studied the clinical utility of this serologic test in the evaluation of patients with chronic fatigue. Thirty patients with chronic fatigue and highly elevated titers of antibody to early antigen (greater than or equal to 1:160) were compared with 30 age- and sex-matched controls with no antibody to early antigen. There were no significant differences noted between patients and controls at the initial evaluation (symptoms, physical examination, laboratory data). Follow-up information, available for 15 matched pairs, showed no differences in outcome between patients and controls. We conclude that the antibody to EBV early antigen is not helpful in the clinical evaluation of patients with chronic fatigue.