Potential Animal Virus Identified in CFS

May 31, 2006

How interesting! Could someone how has a better sense of the general state of

CFIDS research that I do give me an idea of whether this is something truly new?

Thanks!

Trina

Al Melillo <melillo3@...> wrote:

--- [CO-CURE] NOTICE: Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus Identified

in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and Epilepsy

Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 11:06:47 -0700

From: O'Toole <m_otoole2@...>

Reply- mods@...

CO-CURE@...

U.S. Newswire

Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus Identified in Patients with Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and Epilepsy

5/31/2006 12:00:00 PM

National Desk

Contact: Gail Kansky of the National CFIDS Foundation, 781-449-3535 or

gailronda@...

NEEDHAM, Mass., May 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Recent independent scientific

research funded by the National CFIDS Foundation, Inc. (NCF) of Needham, MA

provided preliminary confirmation of a new virus identified in patients with

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Foundation's medical research dovetails with that

completed to date by Cryptic Afflictions, LLC (1), a private company.

Dr. J. Robbins, virologist and Chief Executive Officer of Cryptic

Afflictions, LLC has discovered a major neuropathogen identified as an RNA

virus designated as Cryptovirus. Substantial clinical and molecular evidence

indicates that this virus is involved in the development of neurological

disorders that include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as Myalgic

Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) by the World Health Organization, Multiple Sclerosis

(M.S.) and Idiopathic Epilepsy of unknown cause.

According to the company, " This previously undetected virus appears to be of

significant importance to researchers looking for a cure to Multiple Sclerosis

and many other neurological illnesses. Antibodies to the newly discovered virus

were found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of over 90 percent of the

patients tested with Multiple Sclerosis. It is believed that this newly

discovered virus may prove to be responsible for a host of neurological

disorders. Tests are currently being prepared for tissue samples of lesions

within the brains of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This will be the final

round of tests before approaching the FDA for approval of the diagnostic

tests. "

Dr. Robbins' evidence includes the presence of virus-specific antibodies in the

serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from these disorders, the

ability of the virus to cause virtually identical disease in

experimentally-infected animals, and nucleotide sequence data that indicates

that the virus is pandemic and represents a single virus species much like

measles.

A recently published medical journal article suggests that Cryptovirus is most

similiar to Parainfluenza Virus-5, a rubulavirus in the paramyxovirus family.

Another rubulavirus related to Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5, that has

gained national attention for its large outbreak, is the mumps virus.

Rubulavirus infections have been associated with encephalitis, meningitis,

orchitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, spontaneous abortion, and

deafness.

The NCF has conducted its own preliminary research into the potential role of

Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5 in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Professor

Alan Cocchetto, Medical Director for the Foundation stated, " Our own funded

research first confirmed the lack of a vital protein, known as Stat-1, in the

blood of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Stat-1 plays an indispensable

role in immunity. Without this protein, patients are unable to effectively

fight viral and bacterial infections. Thus, the next logical question to be

answered was 'Could a virus be causing this Stat-1 depletion?' " Cocchetto

continued, " Parainfluenza Virus-5 is a virus that had to be seriously

considered as a possible piece of this medical puzzle because it directly

targets and destroys the Stat-1 protein. " Gail Kansky, President of the NCF

stated, " Once we determined the status of Stat-1 in patient blood samples, we

knew that we had to look for possible evidence of Parainfluenza Virus-5

infection. It was during this phase of our own research that we actually

learned of Dr. Robbins' discovery of Cryptovirus specific antibody

reactivity in patients with CFS. " Dr. Robbins had tested fifty- six serum

specimens from patients who had been diagnosed with CFS along with eleven

matching cerebrospinal fluid samples obtained from physicians in Brisbane and

Southeast Queensland. Dr. Robbins had determined that 96 percent of the blood

samples and 91 percent of the spinal fluid samples tested positively for

Cryptovirus specific antibodies in these CFS patients.

The National CFIDS Foundation's own research began to dovetail with that of Dr.

Robbins. Scientists funded by the Foundation performed numerous tests for

Parainfluenza Virus-5 that included antibody as well as PCR specific probes.

Antibody testing provided some initial hints, however a PCR specific probe

picked up the infection in a former patient of S. Bell, M.D. and R.

Cheney, Ph.D., M.D., both considered well known specialists in the field of

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Kansky commented, " Though our funded research

continues in diagnostic testing, our findings have served to highlight the

important work of

Dr. Robbins and the role of Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5 infection in

CFS. "

NCF scientists utilized the NIH Genbank database to find the nucleotide

sequence for a specific viral protein of Cryptovirus that matched 100 percent

to the porcine (swine) strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5 known as the SER strain.

In 1994, scientists at Bayer AG in Germany first isolated the SER strain from

swine with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome. " This may represent a

zoonotic process since zoonotic viruses are those that can be transmitted

between animals and people " stated Cocchetto. Kansky commented, " Here we have

what appears to be the same viral strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5 on two

continents and in two different populations, swine and humans. Given that the

NCF found Parainfluenza Virus-5 in one CFS patient in the United States

certainly raises the bar. " The Foundation is currently funding further

research.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has several ongoing grants in the

Parainfluenza Virus-5 field. Currently, however, there is only one U.S.

scientist specifically funded for research on the SER strain of Parainfluenza

Virus-5 by the NIH.

---

(1) " Limina Biotechnologies, Inc. is a recently formed subsidiary of Global

Medical Technologies, Inc. that was established for the purpose of merging

Cryptic Afflictions LLC and Global Medical Technologies, Inc. It is the intent

of management to spin off this newly formed corporation once the merger is

completed so Limina can raise capital through its own IPO, " according to the

company's website, http://www.globalmedicaltech.com.

------

Founded in 1997, the National CFIDS Foundation has grown to become the largest,

all-volunteer patient organization of its type in the United States. The

Foundation has no paid employees and is funded solely by individual donations

for the primary purpose to fund medical research into the cause and treatment

and/or cure of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS/CFS).

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-0-

__________________________________________________

June 1, 2006

this news release is a little confusing.

is the NCF saying that Cryptovirus or Parainfluenza viurs-5 is a

potential cause of CFS?

these are two similar but distinct viruses, right?

any points of clarification...

thanks

bill

>

> --- [CO-CURE] NOTICE: Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus

Identified

> in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and

Epilepsy

> Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 11:06:47 -0700

> From: O'Toole <m_otoole2@...>

> Reply- mods@...

> CO-CURE@...

>

> U.S. Newswire

>

> Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus Identified in Patients with

Chronic Fatigue

> Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and Epilepsy

>

> 5/31/2006 12:00:00 PM

>

> National Desk

>

> Contact: Gail Kansky of the National CFIDS Foundation, 781-449-3535

or

> gailronda@...

>

> NEEDHAM, Mass., May 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Recent independent

scientific

> research funded by the National CFIDS Foundation, Inc. (NCF) of

Needham, MA

> provided preliminary confirmation of a new virus identified in

patients with

> Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Foundation's medical research

dovetails with that

> completed to date by Cryptic Afflictions, LLC (1), a private

company.

>

> Dr. J. Robbins, virologist and Chief Executive Officer of

Cryptic

> Afflictions, LLC has discovered a major neuropathogen identified as

an RNA

> virus designated as Cryptovirus. Substantial clinical and molecular

evidence

> indicates that this virus is involved in the development of

neurological

> disorders that include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known

as Myalgic

> Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) by the World Health Organization, Multiple

Sclerosis

> (M.S.) and Idiopathic Epilepsy of unknown cause.

>

> According to the company, " This previously undetected virus appears

to be of

> significant importance to researchers looking for a cure to

Multiple Sclerosis

> and many other neurological illnesses. Antibodies to the newly

discovered virus

> were found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of over 90 percent

of the

> patients tested with Multiple Sclerosis. It is believed that this

newly

> discovered virus may prove to be responsible for a host of

neurological

> disorders. Tests are currently being prepared for tissue samples of

lesions

> within the brains of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This will be

the final

> round of tests before approaching the FDA for approval of the

diagnostic

> tests. "

>

> Dr. Robbins' evidence includes the presence of virus-specific

antibodies in the

> serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from these

disorders, the

> ability of the virus to cause virtually identical disease in

> experimentally-infected animals, and nucleotide sequence data that

indicates

> that the virus is pandemic and represents a single virus species

much like

> measles.

>

> A recently published medical journal article suggests that

Cryptovirus is most

> similiar to Parainfluenza Virus-5, a rubulavirus in the

paramyxovirus family.

> Another rubulavirus related to Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-

5, that has

> gained national attention for its large outbreak, is the mumps

virus.

> Rubulavirus infections have been associated with encephalitis,

meningitis,

> orchitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, spontaneous

abortion, and

> deafness.

>

> The NCF has conducted its own preliminary research into the

potential role of

> Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5 in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Professor

> Alan Cocchetto, Medical Director for the Foundation stated, " Our

own funded

> research first confirmed the lack of a vital protein, known as Stat-

1, in the

> blood of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Stat-1 plays an

indispensable

> role in immunity. Without this protein, patients are unable to

effectively

> fight viral and bacterial infections. Thus, the next logical

question to be

> answered was 'Could a virus be causing this Stat-1 depletion?' "

Cocchetto

> continued, " Parainfluenza Virus-5 is a virus that had to be

seriously

> considered as a possible piece of this medical puzzle because it

directly

> targets and destroys the Stat-1 protein. " Gail Kansky, President of

the NCF

> stated, " Once we determined the status of Stat-1 in patient blood

samples, we

> knew that we had to look for possible evidence of Parainfluenza

Virus-5

> infection. It was during this phase of our own research that we

actually

> learned of Dr. Robbins' discovery of Cryptovirus specific

antibody

> reactivity in patients with CFS. " Dr. Robbins had tested fifty- six

serum

> specimens from patients who had been diagnosed with CFS along with

eleven

> matching cerebrospinal fluid samples obtained from physicians in

Brisbane and

> Southeast Queensland. Dr. Robbins had determined that 96 percent of

the blood

> samples and 91 percent of the spinal fluid samples tested

positively for

> Cryptovirus specific antibodies in these CFS patients.

>

> The National CFIDS Foundation's own research began to dovetail with

that of Dr.

> Robbins. Scientists funded by the Foundation performed numerous

tests for

> Parainfluenza Virus-5 that included antibody as well as PCR

specific probes.

> Antibody testing provided some initial hints, however a PCR

specific probe

> picked up the infection in a former patient of S. Bell, M.D.

and R.

> Cheney, Ph.D., M.D., both considered well known specialists in the

field of

> Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Kansky commented, " Though our funded

research

> continues in diagnostic testing, our findings have served to

highlight the

> important work of

>

> Dr. Robbins and the role of Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5

infection in

> CFS. "

>

> NCF scientists utilized the NIH Genbank database to find the

nucleotide

> sequence for a specific viral protein of Cryptovirus that matched

100 percent

> to the porcine (swine) strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5 known as the

SER strain.

> In 1994, scientists at Bayer AG in Germany first isolated the SER

strain from

> swine with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome. " This may

represent a

> zoonotic process since zoonotic viruses are those that can be

transmitted

> between animals and people " stated Cocchetto. Kansky

commented, " Here we have

> what appears to be the same viral strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5

on two

> continents and in two different populations, swine and humans.

Given that the

> NCF found Parainfluenza Virus-5 in one CFS patient in the United

States

> certainly raises the bar. " The Foundation is currently funding

further

> research.

>

> The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has several ongoing grants

in the

> Parainfluenza Virus-5 field. Currently, however, there is only one

U.S.

> scientist specifically funded for research on the SER strain of

Parainfluenza

> Virus-5 by the NIH.

>

> ---

>

> (1) " Limina Biotechnologies, Inc. is a recently formed subsidiary

of Global

> Medical Technologies, Inc. that was established for the purpose of

merging

> Cryptic Afflictions LLC and Global Medical Technologies, Inc. It is

the intent

> of management to spin off this newly formed corporation once the

merger is

> completed so Limina can raise capital through its own IPO, "

according to the

> company's website, http://www.globalmedicaltech.com.

>

> ------

>

> Founded in 1997, the National CFIDS Foundation has grown to become

the largest,

> all-volunteer patient organization of its type in the United

States. The

> Foundation has no paid employees and is funded solely by individual

donations

> for the primary purpose to fund medical research into the cause and

treatment

> and/or cure of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome

(CFIDS/CFS).

>

> http://www.usnewswire.com/

>

> -0-

>

> __________________________________________________

>

June 1, 2006

I find this research really interesting and encouraging, esp. with the

recent news of gancycglovir (sp????) or whatever that drug was that

caused remission in a small but significant number of ME Patients in

England.

I've always speculated that something else got transmitted in some

tickbites and it wasn't just genetics because my first tickbite was at

age 21 I'm pretty sure, and though I had problems, nothing like the

second tickbite, as I've often said. I've always wondered if there

were unknown viruses transmitted too. One doesn't really know what the

synergism is or if getting rid of, say, lyme, will then allow one to

get a virus back in latency, or whether the virus initially did the

damage. Once you're in a state of ill health they're all problems,

bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Nice news.

>

> --- [CO-CURE] NOTICE: Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus

Identified

> in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and

Epilepsy

> Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 11:06:47 -0700

> From: O'Toole <m_otoole2@...>

> Reply- mods@...

> CO-CURE@...

>

> U.S. Newswire

>

> Potential Animal (Zoonotic) Virus Identified in Patients with

Chronic Fatigue

> Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and Epilepsy

>

> 5/31/2006 12:00:00 PM

>

> National Desk

>

> Contact: Gail Kansky of the National CFIDS Foundation, 781-449-3535 or

> gailronda@...

>

> NEEDHAM, Mass., May 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Recent independent scientific

> research funded by the National CFIDS Foundation, Inc. (NCF) of

Needham, MA

> provided preliminary confirmation of a new virus identified in

patients with

> Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Foundation's medical research

dovetails with that

> completed to date by Cryptic Afflictions, LLC (1), a private company.

>

> Dr. J. Robbins, virologist and Chief Executive Officer of Cryptic

> Afflictions, LLC has discovered a major neuropathogen identified as

an RNA

> virus designated as Cryptovirus. Substantial clinical and molecular

evidence

> indicates that this virus is involved in the development of neurological

> disorders that include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as

Myalgic

> Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) by the World Health Organization, Multiple

Sclerosis

> (M.S.) and Idiopathic Epilepsy of unknown cause.

>

> According to the company, " This previously undetected virus appears

to be of

> significant importance to researchers looking for a cure to Multiple

Sclerosis

> and many other neurological illnesses. Antibodies to the newly

discovered virus

> were found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of over 90 percent

of the

> patients tested with Multiple Sclerosis. It is believed that this newly

> discovered virus may prove to be responsible for a host of neurological

> disorders. Tests are currently being prepared for tissue samples of

lesions

> within the brains of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This will be

the final

> round of tests before approaching the FDA for approval of the diagnostic

> tests. "

>

> Dr. Robbins' evidence includes the presence of virus-specific

antibodies in the

> serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from these

disorders, the

> ability of the virus to cause virtually identical disease in

> experimentally-infected animals, and nucleotide sequence data that

indicates

> that the virus is pandemic and represents a single virus species

much like

> measles.

>

> A recently published medical journal article suggests that

Cryptovirus is most

> similiar to Parainfluenza Virus-5, a rubulavirus in the

paramyxovirus family.

> Another rubulavirus related to Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza

Virus-5, that has

> gained national attention for its large outbreak, is the mumps virus.

> Rubulavirus infections have been associated with encephalitis,

meningitis,

> orchitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, spontaneous

abortion, and

> deafness.

>

> The NCF has conducted its own preliminary research into the

potential role of

> Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5 in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Professor

> Alan Cocchetto, Medical Director for the Foundation stated, " Our own

funded

> research first confirmed the lack of a vital protein, known as

Stat-1, in the

> blood of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Stat-1 plays an

indispensable

> role in immunity. Without this protein, patients are unable to

effectively

> fight viral and bacterial infections. Thus, the next logical

question to be

> answered was 'Could a virus be causing this Stat-1 depletion?' "

Cocchetto

> continued, " Parainfluenza Virus-5 is a virus that had to be seriously

> considered as a possible piece of this medical puzzle because it

directly

> targets and destroys the Stat-1 protein. " Gail Kansky, President of

the NCF

> stated, " Once we determined the status of Stat-1 in patient blood

samples, we

> knew that we had to look for possible evidence of Parainfluenza Virus-5

> infection. It was during this phase of our own research that we actually

> learned of Dr. Robbins' discovery of Cryptovirus specific

antibody

> reactivity in patients with CFS. " Dr. Robbins had tested fifty- six

serum

> specimens from patients who had been diagnosed with CFS along with

eleven

> matching cerebrospinal fluid samples obtained from physicians in

Brisbane and

> Southeast Queensland. Dr. Robbins had determined that 96 percent of

the blood

> samples and 91 percent of the spinal fluid samples tested positively for

> Cryptovirus specific antibodies in these CFS patients.

>

> The National CFIDS Foundation's own research began to dovetail with

that of Dr.

> Robbins. Scientists funded by the Foundation performed numerous

tests for

> Parainfluenza Virus-5 that included antibody as well as PCR specific

probes.

> Antibody testing provided some initial hints, however a PCR specific

probe

> picked up the infection in a former patient of S. Bell, M.D.

and R.

> Cheney, Ph.D., M.D., both considered well known specialists in the

field of

> Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Kansky commented, " Though our funded research

> continues in diagnostic testing, our findings have served to

highlight the

> important work of

>

> Dr. Robbins and the role of Cryptovirus and Parainfluenza Virus-5

infection in

> CFS. "

>

> NCF scientists utilized the NIH Genbank database to find the nucleotide

> sequence for a specific viral protein of Cryptovirus that matched

100 percent

> to the porcine (swine) strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5 known as the

SER strain.

> In 1994, scientists at Bayer AG in Germany first isolated the SER

strain from

> swine with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome. " This may

represent a

> zoonotic process since zoonotic viruses are those that can be

transmitted

> between animals and people " stated Cocchetto. Kansky commented,

" Here we have

> what appears to be the same viral strain of Parainfluenza Virus-5 on two

> continents and in two different populations, swine and humans. Given

that the

> NCF found Parainfluenza Virus-5 in one CFS patient in the United States

> certainly raises the bar. " The Foundation is currently funding further

> research.

>

> The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has several ongoing grants

in the

> Parainfluenza Virus-5 field. Currently, however, there is only one U.S.

> scientist specifically funded for research on the SER strain of

Parainfluenza

> Virus-5 by the NIH.

>

> ---

>

> (1) " Limina Biotechnologies, Inc. is a recently formed subsidiary of

Global

> Medical Technologies, Inc. that was established for the purpose of

merging

> Cryptic Afflictions LLC and Global Medical Technologies, Inc. It is

the intent

> of management to spin off this newly formed corporation once the

merger is

> completed so Limina can raise capital through its own IPO, "

according to the

> company's website, http://www.globalmedicaltech.com.

>

> ------

>

> Founded in 1997, the National CFIDS Foundation has grown to become

the largest,

> all-volunteer patient organization of its type in the United States. The

> Foundation has no paid employees and is funded solely by individual

donations

> for the primary purpose to fund medical research into the cause and

treatment

> and/or cure of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS/CFS).

>

> http://www.usnewswire.com/

>

> -0-

>

> __________________________________________________

>

June 1, 2006

Hi Bill,

I was confused about this too, but it's explained in detail here:

http://ncf-net.org/library/PIV5HostChallenge-0606.htm

>

> this news release is a little confusing.

>

> is the NCF saying that Cryptovirus or Parainfluenza viurs-5 is a

> potential cause of CFS?

>

> these are two similar but distinct viruses, right?

>

> any points of clarification...

>

> thanks

> bill

>

June 1, 2006