FernRhizome
Senior Member
- Messages
- 412
This abstract mentions there are now SIX strains of XMRV identified......
'Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus in Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and Prostate Cancer'
James N. Baraniuk
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep
DOI 10.1007/s11882-010-0106-2
http://www.springerlink.com/content/416lq773u356024x/?p=564983864c6a4af683c2f38786162c61&pi=0
Abstract
Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a γ
retrovirus that has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS) and prostate cancer. The search for viral causes of these
syndromes was reignited by the finding that RNase L activity was low
in hereditary prostate cancer and some CFS patients. The six strains
of XMRV that have been sequenced have greater than 99% identity,
indicating a new human infection rather than laboratory contamination.
DNA, RNA, and proteins from XMRV have been detected in 50% to 67% of
CFS patients and in about 3.7% of healthy controls. XMRV infections
could be transmitted to permissive cell lines from CFS plasma,
suggesting the potential for communicable and blood-borne spread of
the virus and potentially CFS. This troubling concept is currently
under intense evaluation. The most important steps now are to
independently confirm the initial findings; develop reliable assays of
biomarkers; and to move on to investigations of XMRV pathophysiology
and treatment in CFS, prostate cancer, and potentially other
virus-related syndromes, if they exist.
'Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus in Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and Prostate Cancer'
James N. Baraniuk
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep
DOI 10.1007/s11882-010-0106-2
http://www.springerlink.com/content/416lq773u356024x/?p=564983864c6a4af683c2f38786162c61&pi=0
Abstract
Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a γ
retrovirus that has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS) and prostate cancer. The search for viral causes of these
syndromes was reignited by the finding that RNase L activity was low
in hereditary prostate cancer and some CFS patients. The six strains
of XMRV that have been sequenced have greater than 99% identity,
indicating a new human infection rather than laboratory contamination.
DNA, RNA, and proteins from XMRV have been detected in 50% to 67% of
CFS patients and in about 3.7% of healthy controls. XMRV infections
could be transmitted to permissive cell lines from CFS plasma,
suggesting the potential for communicable and blood-borne spread of
the virus and potentially CFS. This troubling concept is currently
under intense evaluation. The most important steps now are to
independently confirm the initial findings; develop reliable assays of
biomarkers; and to move on to investigations of XMRV pathophysiology
and treatment in CFS, prostate cancer, and potentially other
virus-related syndromes, if they exist.