Was this retrovirus discovered in the early 90's.

[Guest guest]

Wow. I was rereading Dr. Klimas's answers to questions posed to her in the

New York Times. Someone asked about Dr. Elaine Freitas's work in the early 90's

where she discovered a new retrovirus (closely related to HLV2) and the NIH and

CDC shut down her research because it didn't mesh with their views that CFS is

psychoneurosis. Dr. did not answer the question directly but stated that

Elaine should be happy today and congratulated the Whittemore 's

institute on their great finding. This really bothers me that so many people had

to be sick because the top scientists at both the CDC and the NIH are so meshed

in their own views. I am just dumbfounded that scientists (of all people) can be

so closed minded. Here is the link:

http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/readers-ask-a-virus-linked-to-chron\

ic-fatigue-syndrome/

Was a C.F.S. Virus Discovered Years Ago?

Q.

Back in the early 1990s, Dr. Elaine DeFreitas at the Wistar

Institute in Philadelphia discovered a novel human retrovirus (very

closely related to HTLV 2, with Spuma-viruslike aspects) in C.F.I.D.S.

patients. This was subsequently confirmed by two other prominent

researchers (and a commercial laboratory).

Dr. DeFreitas was almost done sequencing its genes and published a

meticulous paper in a top journal. Then the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health intentionally

destroyed her reputation because it did not mesh with their vigorous

assertions that C.F.I.D.S. was psychoneurosis. No one else has followed

this up for fear that their career might likewise be destroyed. This

was all detailed in the amazing book “Osler’s Web.â€

Is this the same virus as the “novel†XMRV?

Reilly

A.

Dr. Klimas responds:

Dr. DeFreitas was doing exciting work and should be congratulated

for her early results suggesting retroviral infection in C.F.S. Since

that time, technology has advanced in a dramatic way, giving

investigators new tools to search for viruses that were yet to be

identified in 1990-92, including the XMRV virus.

New antiviral drugs have also been developed that could potentially

be effective in controlling this sort of infection. We also have a much

stronger understanding of these drugs’ toxicity and safe use.

I congratulate the Whittemore Institute researchers for

their diligent work. I am also very happy for Elaine today. I would

also ask patients to be patient a little bit longer so that researchers

can devise and perform the sort of clinical trials that will let us

know if this virus is the linchpin in continued illness.