virus 101 according to Yasko

[Guest guest]

There are several types of viruses. Two of the basic groups are DNA viruses and

RNA viruses. The difference between these

two groups is the form in which their genetic information is contained.

For RNA viruses, the genetic information is in the form of RNA. For DNA

based viruses it is as DNA.

Herpes is a DNA based virus. CMV, EBV, hepatitis are all DNA viruses.

Measles, mumps and rubella are RNA based viruses.

Our own genetic information is stored as DNA. The information that is used

from the DNA is what is made into RNA. One way to think about it, is that

DNA is all of the stock in the warehouse, and RNA is what you actually buy

to use. The analogy that I use in talks, and in the RNA book (which

describes DNA and RNA more slowly so you can really understand it better)

is my " home depot " example. DNA is all the wood, nails, screws etc on the

shelves of home depot. RNA is the building materials you need for a

particular job, let's say to build your house, and then the completed

project that you can see, the house itself, is the protein.

So, to get back to the main point, our genetic material (all of our

information) is stored as DNA. When we are infected with a DNA based virus

like herpes, it can multiply which is what we see as active infection or

outbreaks. Or, it can be latent. When it is latent it is sitting inside

our DNA in our cells. If you think of our DNA as one long pearl necklace.

Then imagine cutting the string that holds the beads. Now insert some

colored beads in the middle of your pearl necklace. Now rejoin the

necklace. We now have a pearl necklace with a group of red beads in the

middle of the pearls. The red beads can just sit there until conditions

are such that the red beads can pop back out, leaving the pearls as they

were initially. The red beads can now multiply and cause active infection.

Some of these red beads, AKA herpes that are now active can create

symptoms, some can pop back into the pearl necklace of our DNA.

When the virus pops out of the DNA to go from a latent form to an active

form it needs to multiply. In order to multiply it needs to make more of

its own DNA. There are four building blocks for DNA (again explained in

much more easy to understand detail in the RNA book). The way valtrex

works is to replace one of these four building blocks for DNA. The

building block provided by valtrex is altered so that it interferes with

the process for linking the beads together to make more virus.

So, valtrex actually interferes with viral replication. It does not

suppress the virus.

In order for valtrex to work, the virus needs to be actively replicating.

If it is not replicating, if it is still stuck in the form of red beads

within the pearl necklace, the valtrex cannot act.

Recent work (Nature Reviews in Drug Discovery Nov 2005) in the field of

HIV research (HIV also integrates into our DNA) has shown that the most

effective way to treat this type of virus is to activate the latent virus,

that virus which is still inside the pearl necklace, as well as to

interfere with its ability to multiply.

Bottom line, using several different types of antiviral agents at the same

time that work via different mechanisms is more effective than using a

single antiviral agent.

Valtrex can only interfere with replication of viruses that use DNA

building blocks. This would include DNA based viruses, but not RNA based

viruses. Valtrex can interfere with herpes viral replication, but not so

for measles, mumps and rubella.

Measles, mumps and rubella are RNA based viruses. Measles and mumps are

retroviruses, which means that they can reverse their RNA, back to DNA,

and then they are able to get stuck inside our pearl necklaces. Then when

they are ready to multiply again, the red beads pop out of our DNA, and

turn back into RNA to make more viral RNA.

While rubella is not a retrovirus, in other words it does not have the

equipment to reverse its RNA into DNA, it is able to borrow this equipment

from measles and mumps. So in the presence of other retroviruses, rubella

can act like a retrovirus.

Once viral DNA is integrated into our DNA, so once the red beads are part

of our pearl necklace, the viral DNA can be copied when our DNA is copied.

The way that the viral DNA is silenced, so that it is not active is by

methyl groups. The body recognizes DNA that is not our own, DNA that is

foreign, and it puts methyl groups on it to keep it quiet. If we have

methylation cycle mutations we cannot do this properly.

The longer that the methylation cycle is not working properly, the more

virus that can build up. That is why the viral load is higher in older

children, and why it can take longer to clear the virus. We need to get

the virus to pop out of our DNA, and then we need to squash it once it is

in an active, replicative form. Evidence of the virus coming out of

hiding, out of our pearl necklace is seen as rashes, fever, headaches,

vomiting, etc. I believe that elevated creatinine is also a sign of virus

coming out of hiding.

The role of methylation in viral silencing is another reason why I am

stressing the need for nutrigenomic testing for the methylation pathway for all

children. As you know I believe that virus helps to hold onto metals in the

body. Once you eradicate the virus, the metals will be excreted. The longer the

virus has been in the body, the more difficult to get to these metals. Once we

have seen the release of metals, we still need to think about chronic viral

infection. That is why it is important to be sure that methylation is working

properly even for those children who have recovered using other means to cause

metal excretion. As I have mentioned in the past, a number of chelating agents

also have antiviral activity.

For an example, let's think about glutathione. I do know of children who have

recovered and excreted large amounts of metals using glutathione as the major

part of their treatment. This is wonderful. However, if these children were

autistic to begin with, then imbalances in their bodies allowed the condition to

occur in the first place. Underlying factors such as methylation cycle

mutations, chronic viral and bacterial infection, heavy metal exposure all led

to creating a condition of autism. Once we have used ie glutathione to get rid

of metals (glutathione also has antiviral activity) we have eliminated some of

the risk factors. If we do not fix the underlying methylation cycle mutations,

there is nothing to prevent virus from accumulating in the body again. The

mechanism for viral silencing is still broken. The mechanism for turning on and

off DNA expression called epigenetics is still broken (the BBC article that came

out yesterday about food and methionine relied on epigenetics to be functioning

properly to work). The ability to make some of the building blocks for DNA and

RNA that requires methylation is still broken. Just to name a few consequences

of in adequate methylation. Basically, until the methylation cycle is addressed

it is like a time bomb waiting to go off. This is why it is so important to look

at this pathway and to bypass mutations in this pathway.

I will make some slides for February that depict this so that you have a visual

image of DNA and RNA based viral integration. I strongly suggest the RNA

Educational Starter Kit that includes the book and several DVDs for visual aids

for more information on this topic.