A
With the landmark news from the Science paper, the one thing that all of us should be most curious about is as follows: If XMRV does, indeed, cause CFS, what is the mode of transmission?
I have a really hard time believing that this is a sexually transmitted disease similar to AIDS.
Information on this is still sketchy, but there are a lot of questions to be answered.
- If XMRV is the cause of ME/CFS and is transmitted in a manner similar to AIDS, how come we don't see abnormally high levels of ME/CFS in at risk populations like gay males and IV drug users?
- Again, if XMRV is transmitted in blood/bodily fluids, why do we see people get sick as children w/o engaging in any high risk activity (e.g. Annette Whittemore's daughter)?
- If the method of transmission is other than blood/bodily fluid, why are reports of transmission from PWCs to their caregivers so exceedingly rare?
These things really should be the questions of the hour...
There is a similar thread on another forum that has degenerated into conspiracy theories about vaccination. I have confidence that our readers are brighter than this and will not let this thread turn to a laundry list of wild theories with very thin scientific support.
That being said, it will be interesting to follow as more information becomes available about the method of transmission behind XMRV.
I have a really hard time believing that this is a sexually transmitted disease similar to AIDS.
Information on this is still sketchy, but there are a lot of questions to be answered.
- If XMRV is the cause of ME/CFS and is transmitted in a manner similar to AIDS, how come we don't see abnormally high levels of ME/CFS in at risk populations like gay males and IV drug users?
- Again, if XMRV is transmitted in blood/bodily fluids, why do we see people get sick as children w/o engaging in any high risk activity (e.g. Annette Whittemore's daughter)?
- If the method of transmission is other than blood/bodily fluid, why are reports of transmission from PWCs to their caregivers so exceedingly rare?
These things really should be the questions of the hour...
There is a similar thread on another forum that has degenerated into conspiracy theories about vaccination. I have confidence that our readers are brighter than this and will not let this thread turn to a laundry list of wild theories with very thin scientific support.
That being said, it will be interesting to follow as more information becomes available about the method of transmission behind XMRV.