Virus linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

By Eileen McGaurin

A virus known as XMRV has been found in 67 percent of 101 chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers and may offer hope of new treatments for the debilitating disorder, say researchers.

The virus, which is also linked to prostate cancer, was also found in 8 out of 218 healthy people.

"The discovery of XMRV in two major diseases, prostate cancer and now chronic fatigue syndrome, is very exciting. If cause and effect is established, there would be a new opportunity for prevention and treatment of these diseases," said Dr. Robert H. Silverman of Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute, in a statement to WebMD.

While the virus has been linked to CFS, it is not proven to be the cause for the syndrome or for prostate cancer, according to researchers.

The findings offer new hope to the 17 million sufferers of CFS that a
cocktail of drugs designed to fight AIDS and cancer may be helpful in treating CFS.

Researchers were also concerned about finding the virus in 4 percent of healthy people in the study. If those numbers are verified in further studies, said researchers, it could mean as many as 10 million people in the United States alone are infected with a virus linked to two different illnesses.

CFS impairs the immune system and causes debilitating fatigue, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Those who suffer from it can have memory loss, concentration problems, joint and muscle pain, headaches and sore throats.

The study was published Thursday in Science.