Las Vegas Sun

November 22, 2009

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Fatigue disorder discovery a ‘milestone’

By Marshall Allen (contact)

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Sun Coverage

Beyond the Sun

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been stigmatized as a yuppie disease, women’s disease or psychological disorder — in part because its cause was unknown and its inconsistent symptoms made it difficult to diagnose.

But a discovery by the fledgling Whittemore Peterson Institute, a medical research center based at the University of Nevada, Reno, may change the world’s view of the disease.

Scientists there, drawing international attention, have discovered a link between a blood-borne virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For the first time, scientists can point to a possible cause of the disease, which could blaze a trail for its treatment.

“It’s definitely a milestone in this disease,” said Giuseppe Pizzorno, vice president of translational science at the Nevada Cancer Institute, who said the discovery might have applications in addressing cancer.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating neuroimmune disease that afflicts more than 1 million Americans, causing them to suffer symptoms including chronic pain and exhaustion, muscle and joint pain and a loss of memory or concentration.

Finding a cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was a goal of casino lobbyist and real estate developer Harvey Whittemore and his wife, Annette, when they created the Whittemore Peterson Institute in 2006. Their daughter, now 31, has suffered from the disease since she was 12 and they were not satisfied with the scientific community’s lack of action to combat it, said Annette Whittemore, the institute’s founder and president. Doctors told the couple their daughter needed to better manage stress, she said.

“We knew there would be no answers (from the medical community) and waiting around for someone else to do it wasn’t an option,” Whittemore said.

The institute, with four researchers operating on a $1.5 million budget, opened its first lab in 2007.

The discovery came just after Christmas and with its publication in the journal Science this week, the Whittemore Peterson Institute name has resounded in the media worldwide.

On Friday, GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical giant, called to discuss possible drug development.

The discovery came after institute researchers found that a recently identified retrovirus — a type of virus that can be transmitted through DNA — is linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They tested 101 samples of tissue from people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and found that 67 percent of them contained the particular sequence of retrovirus, called XMRV. In contrast, XMRV was detected in about 4 percent of DNA specimens from healthy individuals.

The project was a collaboration between the Whittemore Peterson Institute, the National Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic.

Judy Mikovits, director of research at Whittemore Peterson Institute, said the discovery is broader than its application to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because the scientists identified a new human retrovirus that could be causing other neurological diseases or cancers.

XMRV was originally discovered in prostate cancer tissue of certain men by a scientist at the Cleveland Clinic. Other retroviruses, such as HIV, attack the immune system. Identifying the presence of a retrovirus that causes Chronic Fatigue Symptom can give scientists new strategies to attack a variety of diseases, Mikovits said.

Mikovits said Science was interested in the discovery because 3.7 percent of the study’s control sample was infected with XMRV. Translated nationwide this means there could be 10 million Americans who are infected with a virus that has unknown potential to cause disease, she said.

Whittemore called it a “world-changing” discovery that “could uncover the cause of a great number of diseases that today have no known cause.”

Identifying and addressing the underlying causes of diseases before they manifest generates huge benefits for patients and tremendous savings for the health care system, Whittemore said.

The Whittemores are close friends of Larry and Camille Ruvo, founders of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. The couples, along with Jim and Heather Murren, who are among the founders of Nevada Cancer Institute, are examples of grass-roots philanthropy elevating research and science in Nevada.

“Everyone jokes about the poor quality of science and research here in Nevada,” Pizzorno said.

“With the right people and instruments and support, we can do world-class research.”

Discussion: 16 comments so far…

  1. By annienonymouse
    10/10/09 at 6:31 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Another disease, and then another drug. Ground-breaking.

  2. By davidwayneosedach
    10/10/09 at 8:40 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    I first heard of "chronic fatigue syndrome" from listening to the revised version of Guys and Dolls. It certainly was joke back then.

  3. By mikegino
    10/10/09 at 10:21 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    So maybe I don't have hangovers afterall?

  4. By Harley
    10/10/09 at 2:40 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    "Scientists have discovered a link between a blood-borne virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome."

    Would such a blood-borne virus be a treatment/cure for insomnia?

    : )

  5. By wizardofOz
    10/10/09 at 4:33 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    Thank you SUN, for this story.

    Medical research, that produces groundbreaking results, is highly valuable.

    Brain, Nervous, and Immune System Disorders, some of the most difficult research areas in the world, should be foremost in our dollars spent in the field of medicine.

    I am thankful that we have these individuals in our State who are interested in beneficial science.

  6. By 70aarcuda
    10/10/09 at 7:41 p.m.

    Comment removed by staff.

  7. By Harley
    10/10/09 at 11:07 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    ""a.k.a. lazy ass""

    LOL

    Now the question is whether such a "virus" is "discovered" to be more apparent in certain ethnic groups and/or economic classes.

    Shouldn't we expect such a "virus" to be disproportionately higher in groups of the unemployed?

    LOL

    : )

  8. By revtomperl
    10/10/09 at 11:48 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    some of these comments are humorless - they bolster the common view that there are many dumb butts in Nevada - some forms of humor are very low class - maybe a few here have the virus for chronic fatigue syndrome?

  9. By its2hot
    10/11/09 at 6:54 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    You have to love the medical conditions the lunatics drum up to excuse ones behavioral issues. They'll dream up anything so people don't have to be held accountable for their choices and for the drug manufactures to dream up some new medicine for people to take.

  10. By rcknrllfreak
    10/11/09 at 7:16 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    I DON'T BELIEVE THIS STORY AT ALL

    You're telling me that people discovered this WITHOUT government help? How can this be? I thought the government was the answer to all our problems...

  11. By Joe6
    10/11/09 at 5:20 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    Ah, too...tired...to read...entire...article...

  12. By jw456
    10/11/09 at 9:44 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    Cyperbullies=empty unhappy lives.

  13. By getseriousnev
    10/12/09 at 8:14 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    What a bunch of uneducated cynics. World-class research (done in Nevada) discovers a major breakthrough that affects one million Americans and over 17 million people world-wide and we get comments from jerks that make fun of the accomplishments. If any one of you idiots had a family member impacted by these diseases you would be singing a different tune. Go back to your caves or better yet move to a different State so that we can improve the IQ of ours.

  14. By its2hot
    10/13/09 at 8:19 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    getseriousnev:

    I take it you're or a family member uses excuses for what occurs daily as life progresses. Get over it!

    I love it when I you lunatics whine and create new ailment: I'm nervous, I'm stressed, where is my check, they made me do it, I need more medicines, I don't feel good, I'm too fat, and any other lame excuse you all use. Get out and exercise, stop eating unhealthy foods, stop whatever it is you lunatics do to yourselves and create your own lifestyle choices. You all just make up some new ailment to justify the poor choices you luatics make in life.

  15. By ADB
    10/16/09 at 3:16 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Dear Harley and 70aarcuda - Not sure what your problem is but what goes around comes around. I hope for your sake that if you or your family ever become stricken with a life altering illness that pathetic people like you two aren't spitting all over you. Why don't you two join the human race and have some compassion for peole who are sufering instead of taking such an arrogant and selfrighteous stand over something you know absolutely nothing about.

    For the rest of us, let's thank God for this research and forget people like Harely and 70aarcuda.

  16. By ADB
    10/16/09 at 3:25 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    its2hot:

    It must be too hot as your brain is obviously fried. What's your issue? Sounds like you are either highly unnsuccessful in life or you got lucky and you're an arrogant fool. Either way you know nothing about this illness and yet you talk directly out of your butt. Why don't you leave the commenting to people who have at least some involvement with this illness rather than hurl insults at the sick? How pathetic.

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