PNAS study confirms initial Science Paper Retrovirus Findings
23/Aug/2010
Detection of MLV-related virus gene sequences in blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy blood donors:
After last year’s Journal of Science paper claiming that a newly discovered XMRV retrovirus may be linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome everyone in the ME/CFS community has been waiting patiently for additional studies to come out backing up the initial findings. That wait was finally over today as the FDA and NIH's joint replication study was released. In the study they found at least one of four different MLV like viruses in 32 of 37 (86.5%) of CFS patients tested, along with 3 of 44 (6.8%) of the healthy control samples.
This is a major step towards the scientific community taking this new retrovirus seriously and hope for many millions of ME/CFS sufferers all around the world that a diagnoses and possible treatment are on the way. Talk has already begun of drug trials with existing HIV medications. The Whittemore Peterson Institute who were behind the initial XMRV Science Paper have just moved into a new purpose built research lab in Reno, USA, where they plan to start drug trials later this year. Further work is also being carried out to provide doctors and patients with more accurate testing methods as well as new techniques for monitoring what these viruses are doing to patients.
Expect lots of media coverage over the coming days! You can find links to some related articles below.
New York Times - Study Links Chronic Fatigue to Virus Class
Washington Post - New evidence that virus may cause chronic fatigue
Wall Street Journal - Study Finds Retroviruses in Chronic Fatigue Sufferers