A New Outlook on Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions and Illnesses

Infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses (IACCI) encompass several debilitating syndromes with overlapping symptoms that have been identified and documented for decades, primarily following infectious disease outbreaks. Conditions following infection that are diagnosed with objective clinical tests have been relatively well characterized and accepted by the medical establishment, although the relationship to infection can be challenging to establish. In contrast, syndromes that lack objective tests, even when following a recognized infection, such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and dysautonomia, are underrecognized and often stigmatized. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recognition of Long COVID as the newest example of IACCI offers new opportunities to address all aspects of IACCI. Lessons learned from the government’s multi-agency public health response to Long COVID could be beneficial to ensure readiness for the long-term consequences of sporadic infections, outbreaks, and future pandemics.