Lessons from CROI 2010 Coffin on XMRV (clear evidence it infects people!?)

[leelaplay]

Lessons from CROI 2010, a Clinical Context Report

[if: I wonder if this is a mis-quote: Coffin: "But this is very clear evidence that this virus was in fact infecting people" . I can't imagine him saying this. Also, this is the first I've heard of XMRV being investigated in HIV. What did I miss?]

This report is part of a 12-month Clinical Context series.
By Michael Smith, North American Correspondent, MedPage Today
Published: April 09, 2010
Reviewed by Barry S. Zingman, MD; Professor of Clinical Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

SAN FRANCISCO -- In this exclusive video report, two of the planners of the 2010 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections discuss the major research findings reported here and explain what impact those findings will have on daily clinical practice.

John W. Mellors, MD, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Pittsburgh, and John Coffin, PhD, of the department of microbiology at Tufts University in Boston, sat down with MedPage Today's Michael Smith.

Coffin: ....XMRV.......Potentially a very exciting result because for any number of reasons; one is because chronic fatigue syndrome has been a very mysterious disease, the other is that the association of prostate cancer was a little unsatisfying in some ways -- that I can get into if you want. But this is very clear evidence that this virus was in fact infecting people and also that in both the prostate cancer study and this one there was a significant fraction of normal controls, uninfected people showed, also showed signs of infection with this virus.

The number being on the order of 4% in the two studies, which if you take that over the whole population of the United States or the whole population of the world that actually turns out to be a very large number of infected individuals.

More, much more, for example in the United States than the total number of HIV infected individuals, and so the possibility of this virus might be associated with this or perhaps other kinds of diseases is a very real one and one that really needs to be investigated and nailed down.

and from the medpage summary:

6. A new virus, XMRV, has been implicated in prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome and is being investigated in HIV.

 

[Robin]

Coffin on XMRV at CROI 2010 (and photos of WPI)

From here: http://www.medpagetoday.com/clinical-context/HIVAIDS/19456

Coffin continues to be positive! This was from a recent discussion of the February conference.

Coffin: That new virus is called XMRV. It was first described in some cases of, associated with some cases of prostate cancer about three or four years ago but it really burst onto the scene last fall when a study reporting that it was associated with many cases of in a cohort of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The study reported detecting the virus in about two-thirds of the patients in this particular cohort.

Potentially a very exciting result because for any number of reasons; one is because chronic fatigue syndrome has been a very mysterious disease, the other is that the association of prostate cancer was a little unsatisfying in some ways -- that I can get into if you want. But this is very clear evidence that this virus was in fact infecting people and also that in both the prostate cancer study and this one there was a significant fraction of normal controls, uninfected people showed, also showed signs of infection with this virus.

The number being on the order of 4% in the two studies, which if you take that over the whole population of the United States or the whole population of the world that actually turns out to be a very large number of infected individuals.

More, much more, for example in the United States than the total number of HIV infected individuals, and so the possibility of this virus might be associated with this or perhaps other kinds of diseases is a very real one and one that really needs to be investigated and nailed down.

Wow!

Unrelatedly, for those of you who don't have Facebook, I totally ripped off these photos from Andrea Whittemore's page:

Here is a picture of WPI nearing completion:

And here is a picture of some of the awesome people who work there!! I heart each and every one of their lab coated selves!

Andrea says:

Here are some faces to put with the names of the Science study I hear they are in the lab constantly trying to help us. Working on their weekends and in the middle of the night. Because some are in school, some teach and others are preparing for medical school. These guys have given me more Hope than I've had in 21 years.
Thank you.

 

[V99]

someone should send this to Esther crawley

 

[leelaplay]

Hi Robin - LOVE the WPI pics!

It was so exciting to hear Coffin be so direct. I had never heard him say "this is very clear evidence that this virus (xmrv) was in fact infecting people" before. Also, the last point in the summary says that XMRV is being investigated in HIV. We started discussing this in Lessons from CROI 2010 Coffin on XMRV (clear evidence it infects people!?)

 

[spindrift]

Thanks Robin,

those smiling faces made my day :Retro smile:

 

[serenity]

yes, nice to see our heros shiny faces

 

[citybug]

fundraising idea, labcoats with WPI

 

[Robin]

someone should send this to Esther crawley

She would tell you that you have False Photoshop Beliefs!

 

[dancer]

Seeing the faces of actual people...actually working to help us... It almost made me cry. And they look so YOUNG. And so energetic and earnest. Made my day. Thanks so much for posting it, Robin.

 

[Adam]

Originally Posted by V99
someone should send this to Esther crawley

:tear::tear::tear::tear:

Originally Posted by Robin
She would tell you that you have False Photoshop Beliefs!Lol...It's just a mass hallucination you two. That ladder is actually hanging in mid air.

I hope they shift it - wouldn't want some Psychoweasel sneakin' in and knicking stuff!

Don't they all look so....hmmm sweet, nice, healthy...INTELLIGENT.

Our heroes:victory::victory::victory:

 

[Robin]

Seeing the faces of actual people...actually working to help us... It almost made me cry. And they look so YOUNG. And so energetic and earnest. Made my day. Thanks so much for posting it, Robin.

I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing them! They look like pretty happy, upbeat people despite the long hours.

I would like to give them a standing ovation someday.

 

[gracenote]

From an email from Dr. Judy:

Our team is working around the clock to do the experiment without regard to the time or hours worked. In fact, the Easter weekend is the first any have taken even a few hours off since Xmas! . . . Rest assured that we/I will be in it for the long haul but also know that we will not rest now or any other time until YOU get the attention you deserve.

 

[usedtobeperkytina]

Well, I have been hesitant to use the label "hero" for Mikovitz. While I appreciated her work and advocacy, I thought of it as her job. Whereas Peterson made big personal sacrifices for his patients with no personal gain. As is reported in Osler's Web, he said to Cheney that they would have to get their reward in the next life because of all they lost in devotion to their patients.

But, this round the clock work, even if they are being paid, means personal sacrifice for us sick people. If her e-mail is correct, they are sacrificing time with their family.

We thank you. Soon we will be able to thank you for the best day of our life. This will be the day that we are told: "There is a new drug that prevents XMRV from replicating so you can live a full and active life" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFRm2srRC64

This brings tears to my eyes.

Tina