Genetic risk for depression does not predict post-infective fatigue

A new study from the Dubbo Infection Outcomes Study investigated whether a person’s genetic susceptibility to depression or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) could help predict who develops persistent fatigue after an infection.

The researchers followed 464 people with confirmed Epstein-Barr virus, Ross River virus or Q fever infections. Six months later, 89 had developed post-infective fatigue syndrome (PIFS), while 375 had recovered.

The researchers used genetic information to estimate each participant’s inherited susceptibility to depression and CFS. Neither was associated with the risk of developing PIFS. In other words, people who developed persistent fatigue did not have greater genetic susceptibility to depression or CFS than those who recovered.

The researchers also found a possible difference between women and men in how genetic susceptibility to depression was related to PIFS. However, this was an exploratory finding based on small numbers and needs to be confirmed in larger studies.

The study was led by Albena Ruseva and colleagues, including COFFI researchers Braulio Mark Valencia and Andrew Lloyd, and was published in Twin Research and Human Genetics.