Researchers from three separate government agencies say they found a mouse virus in a large portion of patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, a mysterious ailment that has been steadily garnering attention in R&D circles. While there is no direct cause-and-effect established between XMRV and chronic fatigue, it's a prime suspect.
The new research work is likely to drive much more R&D work to establish if the virus does trigger the condition and can be stopped by drugs. Earlier studies have produced mixed signals on the link between the virus and CFS. But some patients reportedly already use AIDS drugs to quell the virus.
The researchers used blood samples collected in the ‘90s and found the virus in 86 percent of the samples from CFS patients. About a million people are affected by CFS in the U.S., a potentially large market for any developer which can advance a new cocktail therapy that can effectively prevent it.
- here's the story from the Los Angeles Times
- here's the report from HealthDay