Researchers seem to be inching closer to isolating the cause of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) in the hopes of creating medication for this heretofore largely incurable problem. And a problem it is. 17 million people worldwide suffer from the mysterious disorder, which can leave you crippingly exhausted much of the time.
The finding comes from Judy Mikovits of the Whittemore Peterson Institute in Nevada and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic. What they discovered is that the same virus that plays a role in prostate cancer also seems to be linked to CFS. Researchers found the virus, known as XMRV, in the blood of 68 out of 101 chronic fatigue syndrome patients. The same virus showed up in only 8 of 218 healthy people. A quite significant difference.
The discovery of the virus has raised hopes that a drug cocktail, similar to one used for AIDS or cancer, could be concocted to help folks with CFS. “You can imagine a number of combination therapies that could be quite effective and could at least be used in clinical trials right away,” Mikovits says.
Of course, it can take a while to develop drugs, so help might not be coming too soon. If you feel like you suffer from CFS, check out this excellent list of options for getting through it. And keep hope alive.
Photo via Flickr.com.
