Long COVID may be a form of chronic fatigue syndrome
Official title: Long COVID as a putative subtype of chronic fatigue syndrome
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11143218 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for shared genetic and immune causes in people with Long COVID and people with chronic fatigue syndrome to explain lingering symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $349,946 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI170850-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143218 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have Long COVID (persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection) or who have chronic fatigue syndrome would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without prior COVID-19 infection or without prolonged fatigue/multisystem symptoms are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the research team will combine genetic and immune data already collected in many hospitals and biobanks to look for common causes between Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). They will analyze genetic information across a Long COVID working group of 46 cohorts with over 1.5 million people and meta-analyze CFS data from three biobanks totaling about 740,000 participants. The team will also study immune molecules and use a CFS consortium to link biological findings to symptoms. The overall aim is to determine whether Long COVID represents a subtype of CFS and to identify risk factors that explain who develops long-lasting symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors recognize shared causes of Long COVID and CFS and guide development of better diagnostics and targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genetic and immune studies have given clues about post-infectious fatigue and Long COVID, but large-scale direct comparisons between Long COVID and CFS at this size are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saxena, Richa — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Saxena, Richa
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Long COVID as a possible subtype of chronic fatigue syndrome
A study at a major hospital will look at whether Long COVID shares biology with chronic fatigue syndrome and what genetic and immune factors may link them.
-
Is Long COVID a subtype of chronic fatigue syndrome?
This project looks at whether people with Long COVID share the same genetic and immune signs as people with chronic fatigue syndrome by analyzing large collections of patient data.
-
Investigating Long COVID as a type of chronic fatigue syndrome
This study is looking into how Long COVID works and what might make some people more likely to experience it, especially since it has symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, to help find better treatments for those who are struggling with these ongoing issues.
-
Human Herpesvirus 6B and ME/CFS: does the virus cause or follow immune problems?
A study to see if HHV-6B reactivation is a cause or result of immune problems in people with ME/CFS, using long-term follow-up and biosamples from patients and controls.
-
HHV-6B (a common herpesvirus) and its link to ME/CFS and Long COVID
This project will follow adults with ME/CFS, some with Long COVID, and healthy controls over time to find out whether reactivation of herpesvirus HHV-6B is linked to changes in symptoms and immune responses.
-
Investigating T Cell Responses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This study is looking at how a type of immune cell called T cells behaves in people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) compared to healthy individuals, to help uncover clues about the condition and find better ways to treat it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.