NEW VIRUS DISCOVERED IN CFS AND PROSTATE CANCER

A new virus, retrovirus XMRV, found in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is also found in 3.7% of healthy Americans. Is this meaningful and how did we get it?

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VIRAL CAUSE FOR CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

A new virus, retrovirus XMRV, is found in 3.7% of healthy Americans. Is this meaningful and how did we get it? The virus also was found in the blood samples of two thirds of chronic fatigue (CFS) patients. The virus plays a role in the cause and progression of CFS disease.

Several million, otherwise healthy people, in the United States could be infected with this virus, since 3.7 percent of the healthy population also tested positive for XMRV.

XMRV

XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus) is a retrovirus, like HIV. A retrovirus copies its genetic code into the DNA of its host, but uses RNA - a working form of DNA - instead of using DNA to do so.

The virus was found in 70% of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disease that affects 17 million people worldwide. XMRV virus is like the HIV virus that causes AIDS. It is known to cause neurological symptoms, cancer, immunological deficiencies, and is also linked to prostate cancer.

Currently there is no treatment for CFS-- (formerly known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or ME and "Yuppie flu").

The virus was recently found to be also present in about 25% of prostate cancers and more than two thirds of chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Currently there are only two strains of XMRV.

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

CFS affects the immune system and causes incapacitating joint and muscle pain, headaches, tender lymph nodes, sore throats, and memory loss. Symptoms are as disabling as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Forty percent of the general population, who report symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also has an unrecognized medical or psychiatric condition (such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or substance abuse). CFS occurs four times more frequently in women than in men, usually between the ages of 40 and 59.

It is proposed that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be caused by an immunologic dysfunction. Patients often produce lower levels of cortisol than do healthy controls.

POTENTIAL TREATMENTS FOR CMV

As potential treatments for CFS, drugs for AIDS (such as reverse transcriptase inhibitors and integrase inhibitors), as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cancer-fighting proteasome inhibitors, will now be tested.

Since many HIV drugs are tailor-made for AIDS, they may not be effective against XMRV.

It still must be determined if XMRV directly causes CFS, or is just a passenger virus that acts in concert with other implicated viruses. Twelve percent of CMV patients have associated Epstein-Barr virus, Ross River virus and Coxiella Burnetti.

CURRENT TREATMENTS FOR CFS

Many Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients are sensitive to medications, particularly sedating medications. Nutritional supplements and vitamins are frequently used for symptomatic relief.

On the other hand, acupuncture, aquatic therapy, gentle massage, meditation, deep breathing,biofeedback, yoga, tai chi , and massage therapy are often prescribed and found very helpful.

COMMENTARY

CFS patients with XMRV, no longer will be classified as having an infectious disease, rather than a psychiatric disease. The discovery of finding XMRV in two major diseases, prostate cancer and now chronic fatigue syndrome, is very exciting, Chronic fatigue affects multiple organs, causes abnormalities in the body’s immune system, and badly affects mobility and lifestyle. To find treatment solutions for this debilitating disease, it is important that we need to understand the co-infection of other viruses in XMRV progression.

Since 4% of us healthy Americans have the virus, we must also ask ourselves; How did we get this virus, and what significance is this for our health?

What do you think? Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

Visit www.drneedles.com for more commentary on interesting and controversial medical subjects.

Sources: Journal Science 10.09.2009
Peterson Institute in Nevada (Judy Mikovits)
National Cancer Institute/Cleveland Clinic Center Disease Control (CDS)