ViroChip - has anybody heard of this ??

[undcvr]

'University of California at San Francisco biochemist Dr. Joe DeRisi developed the revolutionary ViroChip, which tests for all known animal and human viruses'.

This test is done once with just one blood sample ! This is amazing, saves me so much time and money. Apparently cfs-ers usually have about 30-40 ongoing infections at the sametime while normal pple have only about 3-4.

Does anybody know how one can test for this ?

Thank you !!

 

[mojoey]

Peterson told me 80+ while normal ppl have ~3. He wanted me to do it with Dr. DeRisi but we never got there because of XMRV. Cloud and/or I can ask the next time how patients can get it done when we see him (Cloud will probably see him first)

 

[undcvr]

Yes please, thank you ! What about the XMRV ? How did that affect your decision ?

 

[mojoey]

I got the impression Pete uses the Virochip for investigative purposes like if you don't have any obvious to tackle. XMRV preempted the need to investigate more at the time, since it might mean most if not everything we find with the Virochip would be opportunistic in nature. The reason why we have so many more viruses show is is because of immune deficiency, obviously, so the goal is find what is causing the deficiency. XMRV gave us logical reason for pause, although nothing is proven so far.

 

[undcvr]

I was thinking about the last part you said too, that 'nothing is proven so far' too whether with or w/o the XMRV. It might not be the be all n end all and hence it might be prudent for u to test with the ViroChip anyway.

 

[mojoey]

It might be prudent if I had more to spend

Trying to get the most for my dollar here, so for me personally finding out I have other viruses won't change my long-term treatment if XMRV ends up getting validated. If it doesn't, then yes it'd be a consideration. Peterson does test for EBV, HHV-6, CMV, coxsackie, HTLV's etc, so even without the virochip he does pretty comprehensive testing. Honestly I haven't heard of many patients getting this done, although before XMRV came along I'm not sure why more people didn't.

 

[undcvr]

oh yea ic its an insurance thing. Yea that wud make me think twice too if he does not take insurance.

 

[ukxmrv]

I really enjoyed this talk by Joe DeRisi here. He is talking about the Virochip

http://www.ted.com/talks/joe_derisi_hunts_the_next_killer_virus.html

 

[Daffodil]

does anyone know how much it would cost?

would the virochip pick up the P variants? they havent even been sequenced yet...

 

[*GG*]

Peterson told me 80+ while normal ppl have ~3. He wanted me to do it with Dr. DeRisi but we never got there because of XMRV. Cloud and/or I can ask the next time how patients can get it done when we see him (Cloud will probably see him first)

Not sure what it is about this issue, that people with CFS have about what 20 to 30 times more viruses than "normal" people?! I could be wrong, but I don't think that I would, I am probably wrong! I know I have a few viruses but...up to 80?! I think that perhaps "normal" people have not been studied/seen a lot, since they are "normal"/healthy?

Just seems like a generalization, which I can understand at a basic level, but it still perturbes me!

 

[leela]

I really enjoyed this talk by Joe DeRisi here. He is talking about the Virochip

http://www.ted.com/talks/joe_derisi_hunts_the_next_killer_virus.html

yes, and XMRV, in 2006. sounds like it would be worth looking into as a very comprehensive diagnostic method.

 

[undcvr]

does anyone know how much it would cost?

would the virochip pick up the P variants? they havent even been sequenced yet...

I think mojoey here is the only one to find out much about it b4 he changed his mind.

 

[shannah]

I think I was told a while ago that it was only being used for research purposes. If that has changed, it would be nice to have that verified with up to date information.

 

[Snow Leopard]

I really enjoyed this talk by Joe DeRisi here. He is talking about the Virochip

http://www.ted.com/talks/joe_derisi_hunts_the_next_killer_virus.html

Thanks, I haven't seen that one before.

 

[undcvr]

"You can make DNA chips in your garage for about the price of a CAMRY," - Joe DeRisi. Ted Talks. He even has the schematics on his website for free. Lol

He says that the chip is able to detect viruses that have NOT BEEN Sequenced yet !

We shud all be put on this chip ! It's worth a shot contacting him. The Virochip is already in the field and being applied to patients.

We can email him here: joe@derisilab.ucsf.edu
and call him here : 415-418-3059 VM Box #: 2542

Im gonna get sued for harassment !

 

[ukxmrv]

He's already been approached about XMRV but I have forgotten where I read about this. If I find it I will post here.

 

[leela]

He's already been approached about XMRV but I have forgotten where I read about this. If I find it I will post here.

He actually refers to it in the video posted above.

 

[ukxmrv]

No, since then, Leela (I posted the video). He was approached again more recently. I'm still looking for it.

 

[leela]

Oh, I get it, I'm quite crashed today, so Dufus should be my login name. I look forward to hearing.

 

[kurt]

The Virachip is only a basic screen test for viruses, giving a simple positive or negative only, it does not give levels. But a virachip designed for CFS would make a great test for all CFS patients.

The Virachip does test for MLV, or XMRV (I forget which). In fact, WPI ran a virachip on some CFS samples, they reported that in May of 2009, that study was discussed on the forum. They found high levels of various Herpes strains and some HERV activity in CFS patients and not controls, but no XMRV positives.