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===Dr Chia's investigation of interferon therapy === Interferon therapy appears to be temporarily very effective for treating enterovirus-associated [[ME/CFS]], with [[Severe and very severe ME|severe bedbound patients]] being able to return to work after treatment, but Dr [[John Chia]] discovered that most patients relapse several months later. However, although Chia found interferon therapy is usually not a long-term solution to ME/CFS, its major short-term efficacy does provide some supporting evidence for the theory that persistent enterovirus infection causes and maintains ME/CFS.<ref name="Chia2005">{{Cite journal | last = Chia | first = J.K.S. | date = 2005-11-01 | title = The role of enterovirus in chronic fatigue syndrome | url = https://jcp.bmj.com/content/58/11/1126|journal=Journal of Clinical Pathology|language=en|volume=58|issue=11|pages=1126â1132|doi=10.1136/jcp.2004.020255|issn=0021-9746|pmid=16254097|quote=The results of antiviral treatment provided supportive evidence for the pathogenic role of RNA in patients with CFS.|via=}}</ref> In Dr Chia's experimental treatments of ME/CFS using interferon, one investigation employed the antiviral drug [[ribavirin]] plus interferon alpha therapy for ME/CFS patients with high titers to [[coxsackievirus B3]] or [[coxsackievirus B5]], resulting in improvements in symptoms, the elimination of enteroviral RNA from [[Peripheral blood mononuclear cell|peripheral blood mononuclear cells]] (PBMC), and a fourfold reduction in coxsackievirus B antibody titers. However, after therapy was complete, relapse typically occurred 4 to 5 months later, along with antibody titers increasing to pretreatment values and the enteroviral RNA returning to the PBMC. In another experiment, interferon alpha plus interferon delta were used in combination to treat severe bedbound ME/CFS patients positive for enteroviral [[RNA]] in their peripheral blood [[Leucocyte|leukocytes]]: 6 out of 11 severe patients were able to return to full or part-time work as a result, but again relapse occurred some month later. Relapse in these interferon-treated patients was often triggered by a bout of heavy exertion. In a further experiment, two severe bedridden ME/CFS patients with enteroviral RNA in their peripheral blood leukocytes were given interferon alpha plus interferon gamma in combination and went into remission, with these improvements lasting for about 14 months before relapsed occurred and their symptoms returned to the pretreatment baseline.<ref name="Chia2005" /><ref name="Chia2014">{{Cite journal | last = Chia | first = John | last2 = Chia | first2 = Andrew | date = 2004 | title = Ribavirin and Interferon-ô° for the Treatment of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Associated with Persistent Coxsackievirus B Infection: A Preliminary Observation | url =http://www.jrnlappliedresearch.com/articles/Vol4Iss2/Chia2-Jar-spring.pdf | journal=The Journal of Applied Research|volume=4(2) | pages = 286-292|via=}}</ref> Dr Chia found type 1 interferon does not work for ME/CFS linked to [[coxsackievirus B4]].<ref name="conf">{{Cite web | url = http://www.investinme.org/IIMEC4.shtml | title = Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Associated with Chronic Enterovirus Infection. Presentation at the Invest in ME International ME Conference, London 2009 (available on DVD). Timecode: 42:31. | last = Chia | first = John | date = 2009 | website = |archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|quote=Interestingly enough, my son also has coxsackie B4, and for coxsackie B4, the antibody titer did not change at all, which is what I usually see using ribavirin and interferon; it is ineffective against coxsackie B4.}}</ref> Dr Chia rarely uses interferon now, because he says ME/CFS patients cannot tolerate it.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I44G-tGgLNE&t=3m51s | title = MECFS Alert Episode 39 - Interview with Dr. John Chia, Part 2. Timecode 3:51. | last = Chia | first = John | date = |website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|quote=The second thing we use are interferons. This will cost six thousand dollars a month, it is a very harsh treatment to go through. I rarely use it now because people can't tolerate it. I gave it my son twice; he did not like the treatment; he did go into remission for a short time, no more than a few months. Through our experiences we've learned these viruses are hard to get rid of.}}</ref> Chia does sometimes use interferon beta to treat severe bedbound hospitalized patients, as he finds after two weeks treatment, those patients become able to walk around.Â
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