Patterns of Past COVID-19 and EBV Infection in Primary Headache Disorders: A Population Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Viral illnesses are known to trigger chronic headaches. Following the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, many patients reported prolonged headaches. However, the impact on the incidence of primary headache disorders remains unclear. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether patients with newly diagnosed primary headache disorders had higher rates of prior COVID-19 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections, to further explore the impact of viral infections on primary headache disorders.

Methods

A case-control study using data from the Clalit Health Services database comparing patients with newly diagnosed primary headache disorders, between June 2020 and June 2023, to non-headache controls, with regard to rates of prior COVID-19 and EBV infection.

SUBMITTER: Pardo K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12463712 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature