Leaves,
You will have to excuse me as I have never joined a forum before, I hope this turns out okay and appears in the right place. I stumbled across your article whilst doing an internet search for XMRV and Copper Toxicity. I have been diagnosed with CFS (10 years) and a Hair Mineral test has shown Copper Toxicity twice in 4 years. I am consulting with a Russian Biochemist in the UK (where I am) as my General Practitioner believes CFS, and all of my problems, to be 'all in the mind'. I emailed my Practioner Alla with your article as I thought she may find it of interest. She is trying to do tests to see if I have Wilsons Disease, but Genetic tests are out of my reach at the moment. Currently taking Selenium, then will add in Zinc Acetate alongside I believe. My Practitioner has a Masters Degree in Biomolecular Sciences, I am not the slightest bit academic!! She asked me to post this information back to you in response to your article;
To check with the genetic consultant by what method they tested for Wilsons disease. If that was PCR (which is most likely as it is the cheapest) then it is only known mutations will be confirmed as they put only certain primers (bits of DNA with known mutations) to observe annealing with the analysed strand. But you may have a new mutation which is not known yet therefore the result could well be false-negative! If they performed the test by DNA sequencing then I could believe the result! Many people could be fooled with the test results (the genetic consultant should have explained that the PCR-based test is not 100% accurate).
Best Wishes to you.