Retrovirus - Quick Facts

(Unless otherwise indicated, information is from http://www.wpinstitute/org)

Retrovirus: XMRV (xenotropic murine-leukemia-virus–related virus)
First discovered: in prostrate cancer tumors
First discovered in ME/CFS patients: October 2009
Original test of blood - 67% positive
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/data/1179052/DC1/1
Refined test of blood plasma - 95% positive
3 separate labs tested for & were first to discover XMRV in ME/CFS patients: National Cancer Institute, Whittemore Peterson Institute, Cleveland Clinic http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/CFSxmrv
Researchers used PCR assays and Flow cytometry
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/data/1179052/DC1/1
Blood samples came from several regions of US & a few from other countries
Criteria used for patient selection: Canadian Criteria & Fukuda Criteria
http://www.sciencmag.org/cgi/data/1179052/DC1/1
XMRV was also found in some fibromyalgia & atypical MS patients
Contagious through blood transmission.
Not contagious via air
Elevated Rnase-L pathway & low Natural Killer cells are usually present in ME/CFS patients with XMRV.
Retroviruses can activate other latent viruses e.g. EBV
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/CFSxmrv
ME/CFS is now a XAND (X associated neuro-immune disease)
Replication by inserting itself into the host cell's DNA, thus further generations of the cell will contain this viral DNA. http://www.chronicfatiguetreatments.com/wordpress/treatments/xmrv-dr-david-bell/
"Secret Weapon" of retroviruses identified - 02/2010. A "virulence factor" inhibits the host immune response and allows the virus to spread throughout the body. This factor is a sequence of amino acids that is located in the envelope protein of the virus. Abstract Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100215130341.htm