ME/CFS, XMRV, LYME DISESE

I posted last year about ME/CFS, XMRV .
I will be interested to see how many ME/CFS patients have a cocktail of XMRV retrovirus and Lyme Disease.

The following was copied from The Lyme and Tick- Borne Diseases Research Centre at Columbia University.

http://vesta.cumc.columbia.edu/lymedisease/news/user/featNews.php?sel=newsFeat

'A fascinating and potentially very important study has recently come out in the journal Science. The study reports on the discovery that 68% of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) carry the XMRV virus as compared to 3.7% of those without CFS. Further work reported in the New York Times indicates that the virus has been found in 98% of patients with CFS. The discovery of this retrovirus, if confirmed by other research groups, suggests that this virus is either the cause or an important secondary factor in CFS. This finding has implications for Lyme research as it is possible that patients who carry this virus when co-infected with Lyme go on to have persistent symptoms because: a) of activation of the latent virus; b) infection with Lyme or another tick-borne disease lowers the immune surveillance making the individual more susceptible to "catch" the virus; or c) the presence of the virus and the spirochete together act synergistically to induce an array of illness symptoms or to prevent eradication or control of either organism. In any case, given that the symptoms of CFS are so similar to the symptoms of patients with chronic persistent Lyme symptoms, especially shared problems with fatigue and cognition, research in this area may shed important light on the mechanisms underlying the perpetuation of chronic symptoms. In terms of treatment, if this virus is thought to be causal, then retroviral treatments that are used for treating HIV may be very helpful for patients with chronic persistent symptoms.'

Many of you will have seen Laurel's presentation to the CFSAC meeting.



On her blog Dreams at Stake, Laurel says she is co infected with Lyme Disease.
In a later post of Laurel's , she says she has now tested positive for XMRV .

I wish Laurel well and hope now that her doctors know what she is facing they are more able to help her recover.

It will be very interesting to see if other Lyme Disease patients are similarly co infected clearly not all but perhaps some that have not responded well to Lyme Disease treatments. It will also be interesting to see how many ME/CFS patients who do not have XMRV do infact have Lyme Disease and like me respond well to simple antibiotics.