Join our research: People with severe ME needed for our HHV-6 study

We are currently seeking individuals diagnosed with severe ME to participate in our Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) study. We have successfully recruited participants with mild/moderate ME and healthy controls, however, we’re still looking for people who are severely affected to take part.

Including people with severe or very severe ME is essential for thoroughly investigating the connection between ME/CFS and HHV-6. Gaining insight into how these groups relate to HHV-6 could provide invaluable understanding of the condition.

What is the HHV-6 Study? 

Our research team is embarking on a study designed to explore the association and temporal relationship between HHV-6 DNA concentration and the severity of ME/CFS. Herpesviruses are of interest to researchers in the ME/CFS community due to their potential to affect the immune system and overall health.

How can I help? 

We are actively seeking people aged 18-59 with severe or very severe ME to participate in our HHV-6 study.

• You should not be taking any drugs that could affect the immune system (these include steroids and antiviral drugs).
  
• You should not have a history of major illnesses including cancer, heart disease or major psychiatric illness.
  
• Your ME/CFS must have been diagnosed by a GP or specialist.

We recognise the challenges that individuals with severe ME experience when participating in studies, so we aim to make it as accessibly as possible. You will receive specially designed packages for saliva collection, allowing for non-invasive and convenient biological sample collection. Over six months, you will return these samples for analysis.  

Additionally, you will be asked to complete weekly symptom questionnaires online using our new CureME participant portal. 

How to get involved:

Fill out our contact form and a member of the team will get back to you.