{
  "abstract": "Introduction\n\nMyalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating multisystem disorder associated with immune dysregulation yet lacks definitive biomarkers or effective therapies. Acute immune perturbations may transiently modulate disease manifestations.Methods\n\nWe report the case of a female patient in her 60s with severe, long-standing ME/CFS who experienced changes in symptom following administration of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV; Shingrix). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed pre- and post-vaccination using flow cytometry, with comparison to a female healthy control. Plasma galectin-9 (Gal-9) levels were quantified by ELISA.Results\n\nBoth RZV doses were associated with rapid, transient remission of symptoms, including improved sleep, cognition, pain, mobility, and respiratory function, followed by relapse. Immunologically, pre-vaccination profiling revealed elevated monocytes, increased CD71⁺ erythroid cells, and features of T cell exhaustion marked by Gal-9/PD-1 co-expression and impaired cytokine responses. Post-vaccination, monocyte frequency decreased, Gal-9⁺/PD-1⁺ T cells were reduced, and NK cell degranulation improved, indicating partial restoration of immune function.Conclusion\n\nThis case demonstrates that immune stimulation via RZV may transiently reverse immune dysfunction and improve clinical symptoms in ME/CFS. These findings support a role for reversible immune exhaustion in disease pathogenesis and highlight potential avenues for biomarker development and therapeutic intervention.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Mike Petryk School of Dentistry, Division of Foundational Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Women and Children Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Glycomics Institute of Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.",
    "Alberta Transplant Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "AmirAli Bigleri"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Emmanuel T Alimo",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-8530-4773"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Amal Abouda"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mohammed Osman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2,
        3,
        4,
        5,
        6
      ],
      "name": "Shokrollah Elahi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7215-2009"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6srafjjh79td.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.bbih.2026.101388",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13694728",
  "id": "b6srafjjh79td",
  "issns": [
    "2666-3546"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927120",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2738|Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221583444",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13694728?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13694728",
  "pmid": "42927120",
  "published": "2026-10-13",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6srafjjh79td.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:18Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42927120",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927120"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2738|Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Transient clinical improvement and immune modulation following recombinant Zoster vaccination in a patient with ME/CFS.",
  "title_text": "Transient clinical improvement and immune modulation following recombinant Zoster vaccination in a patient with ME/CFS.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6srafjjh79td",
  "venue": "Brain, behavior, & immunity - health",
  "versions": []
}