News from WPI symposium: Name change to be proposed for XMRV

[ixchelkali]

Who Picks The Name

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that it's the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses that has the final say-so on the virus' name. The ICTV is a sub-group of the Virology Division of the Internation Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS). They may not care too much about how the acronym sounds.

 

[Kate_UK]

taniaaust1 - I think you make a lot of good points.

 

[V99]

At the moment there has been no official announcement that any name is being proposed. It is more of a rumour. I don't doubt that this Dr is involved, but they are going to be continuing to discuss this for a while. We really need it to be based on the know science, so that the medical profession around the world has as good a chance at grasping the biology of this disease. Right now it's XMRV, let's build our campaigns on that.

 

[Gemini]

It's always been obvious that the name would be changed (and may change more then once.. who knows this may not be the last of name changes).

Some viruses go by several names: HHV-4 Epstein-Barr EBV, for example

Gemini

 

[Gemini]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that it's the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses that has the final say-so on the virus' name. The ICTV is a sub-group of the Virology Division of the Internation Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS). They may not care too much about how the acronym sounds.

They might care about things like is the name already taken, used for another virus.

Gemini

 

[Joanne60]

Xmrv- hmrv

Following this thread it saddens me that many people don't seem to be aware of Lyme Disease or Dr Joe Burrascano.

As according to research 30% of people diagnosed with ME/CFS can actually have Lyme Disease I decided to write a post on my blog to sumarise and give a link to Burrascano sumary for anyone who is interested.

http://lookingatlyme.blogspot.com/2010/08/xmrv-hgrv-mecfs-patient-awareness.html

 

[Megan]

My interpretation is that there would simply have to be a name change if the other strain of the virus is not xenotropic. I just hope they give it something more pronouncable.

 

[Sasha]

Following this thread it saddens me that many people don't seem to be aware of Lyme Disease or Dr Joe Burrascano.

As according to research 30% of people diagnosed with ME/CFS can actually have Lyme Disease I decided to write a post on my blog to sumarise and give a link to Burrascano sumary for anyone who is interested.

http://lookingatlyme.blogspot.com/2010/08/xmrv-hgrv-mecfs-patient-awareness.html

Hi Joanne - I took a look at your blog and it's really interesting. Thank you for doing all that work for those of us who don't know much about it.

I thought it deserved a thread of its own so I started one up called Lyme Disease summary: 30% of PWC have Lyme?

 

[Cort]

Hi Cort - do we have any idea who the other scientists were who were invited/attended this first WPI Scientific Symposium? Do you think the WPI might make the list available?
It would be great to know who was involved at this exciting and early stage.

Yes it would. I was told that it was scheduled for two hours - not a particularly long meeting - may not have attracted alot of people.

 

[Cort]

It would be interesting to see how much leeway they have with the name. HIV does not mention the type of retrovirus present - its characterizes the effect of the virus. It could have been coined before they were really clear about the type of retrovirus. They may not have that leeway now.

I like the three letter names in general.

 

[Rrrr]

Very helpful, joanne60!

following this thread it saddens me that many people don't seem to be aware of lyme disease or dr joe burrascano.

As according to research 30% of people diagnosed with me/cfs can actually have lyme disease i decided to write a post on my blog to sumarise and give a link to burrascano sumary for anyone who is interested.

http://lookingatlyme.blogspot.com/2010/08/xmrv-hgrv-mecfs-patient-awareness.html

 

[John Leslie]

It was all day according to a scientist in attendance. Mikovits was the moderator; the Ruscettis, Bagni, Lombardi, Cheney, Bell all made presentations. Many more, but wouldn't say. There were representatives from commercial labs, pharma, blood banks, physicians, scientists. Frank Ruscetti said it was the best conference he ever attended. Standing room only in the new auditorium.

 

[urbantravels]

Oh, to be a fly on that wall...

In the media accounts of the Monday dedication, I read that "a reporter for the Wall Street Journal" was in attendance. I think we could put a name to that reporter if we cared to guess. But I also wonder if said reporter was allowed to stick around for Tuesday, and if said reporter would subsequently be able to report on what happened at any point...

 

[John Leslie]

Oh, to be a fly on that wall...

In the media accounts of the Monday dedication, I read that "a reporter for the Wall Street Journal" was in attendance. I think we could put a name to that reporter if we cared to guess. But I also wonder if said reporter was allowed to stick around for Tuesday, and if said reporter would subsequently be able to report on what happened at any point...

I know that "the reporter" was there according to the scientist. Many, many interviews.... including an author from the Lo/Alter paper.

 

[V99]

including an author from the Lo/Alter paper.

This is fantastic. No way is this research going to be covered up.

 

[urbantravels]

I know that "the reporter" was there according to the scientist. Many, many interviews.... including an author from the Lo/Alter paper.

yay!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[leela]

And on the subject of naming conventions, there was a time--not too long ago--where diseases did not go by acronyms! Remember, those of you over forty?
There was Muscular Dystrophy and Multiple Sclerosis, and Polio and Rheumatoid Arthritis and Herpes and Epstein-Barr and Myalgic Encephalomyelits, etc. I wonder if it was AIDS/HIV that started the acronymic shortening trend?

Anyhow, I'm just really really glad there is serious science focusing its attention and intention on this virus, and by proxy, on this set of illnesses. In this wierd reality we live in, giving a thing a name (one of substance) gives it power. So whatever they decide to call it in Scienceworld, whether it begins with X or H or Q, I suspect we will shortly thereafter
stop being seen as tired lazy people with "fatigue" and be recognized as humans who have been heroically living with a serious long-term infection with significant consequences.

 

[omerbasket]

First video from the grand opening:
http://imedia.unr.edu/cmm/CMM_Grand_Opening.html

 

[urbantravels]

That's got to be from Monday - he's saying "Good afternoon" and it's only 10:43 AM in this time zone.

He's introducing dignitaries now - yep, it's from Monday.

 

[pictureofhealth]

It was all day according to a scientist in attendance. Mikovits was the moderator; the Ruscettis, Bagni, Lombardi, Cheney, Bell all made presentations. Many more, but wouldn't say. There were representatives from commercial labs, pharma, blood banks, physicians, scientists. Frank Ruscetti said it was the best conference he ever attended. Standing room only in the new auditorium.

Thanks for the info John L.

Frank Ruscetti said it was the best conference he ever attended??!!! That's VERY encouraging considering just how many years he's been hard at work in the medical field! Wow.

Didn't he say during his Emory lecture that he was on the point of retirement when he got involved in this XMRV and CFS/ME research with Dr Mikovits?

In any case it looks like history really is in the making here, folks, and we are all witnesses to these fabulous times. Yes, times can be fabulous and exciting - even with a life defying illness!