Post acute infection syndromes (PAIS) are debilitating diseases that currently still lack a universally accepted cause, diagnosis, or treatment. Manifestations of PAIS can develop after infections with Q-fever (C. burnetii), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), or SARS-CoV-2 (Post-COVID). Often, the infectious trigger of PAIS remains unidentified.
In our group we aim to investigate the pathological mechanisms that underly PAIS symptoms, identify disease biomarkers and develop therapeutic options.
We are currently building a cohort and biobank that includes pediatric patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), post-COVID and healthy pediatric controls. Patient material and clinical phenotyping is acquired and stored in harmonization with Post-COVID Netwerk Nederland (PCNN) and Nederlands ME/CFS Cohort en Biobank consortium (NMCB).
Additionally we are investigating pathopgysiological mechanisms in adolescent with Q-fever, ME/CFS, post-COVID. We compare our omics results with healthy controls and JIA patients which have similar symptoms (fatigue/pain) but is a non-PAIS disease.
Research is performed in the context of two ZonMW-funded projects: EnergiseME and Pediatrische post-COVID uit de kinderschoenen and funding support by Stichting Long COVID.
This project is led by Tim Mocking and Marte Dros