This panel uses the measuring of antibodies against the family of Herpesviruses for the detection of chronic illnesses, including autoimmune disorders. The most notable viruses found to be involved in inflammatory, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative disorders are the family of human herpesviruses: human herpes virus 1 (HSV-1); herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), the varicella-zoster virus (VZV); Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); cytomegalovirus (CMV); and human herpes type 6 (HHV-6).
Molecular mimicry or amino acid sequence similarities between these viruses and various human tissue antigens, including the thyroid, joints, muscles, and the brain, seem to be responsible for inducing various autoimmune disorders.
Because autoantibodies are detected many years before the onset of various autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, the measurement of IgG and IgM antibodies against viruses in the Viral Panel Premier is important for finding the major triggers and the prevention of inflammatory autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders.
The figure below shows examples of some autoimmune diseases associated with EBV, HHV-6, and CMV. Other herpesviruses in this panel that are not shown in the figure have also been linked with different autoimmune disorders.
This panel is beneficial for a wide variety of patients with:
1. Autoimmune diseases including Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Psoriasis, Sjögren’s syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac disease, Systemic sclerosis, MS, Stiff man syndrome, Uveitis, Gullain Barré syndrome and more
2. Infectious mononucleosis
3. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
4. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
5. Long COVID
6. Meningitis
7. Radiculomyelitis with psychiatric morbidities
This panel measures antibodies against six different viruses (EBV, CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, HHV-6, VZV) that are involved in different inflammatory autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalitis, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and multiple sclerosis. Reactivation of these viruses is a major driver in increasing the severity of symptoms in patients with COVID-19. The test confirms immunological memory against Varicella zoster (VZV), the causative agent for shingles.