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HTLV-1 Reservoir treatment!

xrayspex

Senior Member
Messages
1,111
Location
u.s.a.
how much do you think it costs to get an htlv test? say you find a doc in states willing to do it and u want to pay out of pocket? know where and how much?
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
I just did a quick web search for "cost of HTLV test" and found that the StdLabTests lists the test for $117:

Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus I, II (HTLV-I/HTLV-II) Antibodies

Price: $117.00
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
Good news for people suffering from HAM/TSP: Bioniz (a company located in Lake Forest, CA) has technology that can simultaneously block the cytokines that are critical in this disease, replacing the need for multiple monoclonal antibody therapies. Bioniz lead peptide, BNZ-γ, selectively inhibits IL-2, IL-9, and IL-15; three cytokines which are culprits of HAM/TSP pathogenesis.

An effective therapeutic agent for HAM/TSP will provide proof of concept in modulating the immune response, a characteristic that may be of value in treating other immune-mediated diseases. Etiology of HAM/TSP is dependent on an ongoing immune response to viral proteins that are continuously presented to the immune system. Therefore, this disease shares similarities with other autoimmune disorders where auto-antigens continuously activate the immune system. A therapy effective for HAM/TSP is highly likely to be effective in treating other autoimmune conditions such as MS.
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
Regarding inhibition of the previously mentioned interleukins, Tofacitinib is about to be approved by the FDA, which is a JAK inhibitor, which should disrupt the HTLV (and perhaps XMRV) life cycle.
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
In the vein of helping each other, I want to tell you that I began taking a new supplement a few days ago that has made me feel better (i.e. reduced pain and stiffness) - it's 5 dollars a bottle on the Swanson Vitamin site:

Swanson Premium Full-Spectrum Chinese Skullcap
Caps 90 400 mg Caps

For 5 dollars a bottle, I think it's worth trying. The main ingredient (Scutellaria baicalensis) has been shown to have antiviral activity, especially with respect to HTLV. Here's an excerpt from a medical paper:

Baicalin inhibited reverse transcriptase activity in HTLV-I—infected cells as well as the activity of purified reverse transcriptase from Moloney murine leukemia virus and Rous-associated virus type 2. These results suggest that baicalin may be a potential therapeutic agent against HTLV-I-associated T cell diseases. (I am taking ONE tablet a day).

Best wishes.
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
Daff,

I'd say that no matter how they slice the pie, HTLV can cause cancers:

(1) Non-Hogkins Lymphoma (NHL)
(2) Mycosis Fungiodes (MF)
(3) Adult T-cell Leukemia (ATL).
(4) Histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (e.g. a woman on the HTLVhelp face book page).

Because doctors are in denial about HTLV, they are in turn reluctant to blame cancers on HTLV, but I'd say that everyone getting a cancer diagnosis should get tested for HTLV.
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type I-related endogenous sequences (HRES) have been cloned from a human genomic library. HRES-1/1 is present in DNA of all normal donors examined. By nucleotide sequence analysis, HRES-1/1 contains two potential open reading frames capable of encoding a p25 and a p15. A 684 bp flanking region 5' from the first ATG codon of p25 contains a TATA-box, a poly-adenylation signal, a putative tRNA primer binding site, and inverted repeats at locations which are typical of a retroviral long terminal repeat. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that HRES-1/1 entered the genome in primates, presumably as an exogenous retrovirus. From the deduced amino acid sequence of HRES-1/1 p25, residues 6-36 show a sequence homology of 32% and 39% to gag region segments of HTLV-I and HTLV-II, while residues 104-139 display a sequence homology of 33% and 28% to the gag regions of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) and feline sarcoma virus (FSV), respectively. This suggests that the original exogenous virus infecting primate may be chimeric in structure. The HRES-1/1 genomic locus is transcriptionally active in lymphoid cells, melanoma cells, and embryonic tissues.
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
People,

This week an article was published claiming the cure of HIV in two Kenyan people using Methotraxate, which is also in the SAME CLASS (i.e. antimetabolites) as Azacytidine. Again this supports Louis Mansky's paper that Azacytidine could cure HIV, and the living cure of the HTLV patient in Greece using Azacytidine.

Here's a quote from the doctor in the article:

“This means there is a reservoir in the body where the virus is hiding and where the ARVs are not able to reach. The hideout is in some parts of the bone marrow. Get rid of this reservoir and, theoretically, you are home and dry,” Dr Barasa says, adding that he has achieved this using a method that comprises the use of a cancer drug (methotraxate) in combination with other agents. Two patients who have undergone the therapy, Dr Barasa adds, have shown no signs of the virus for the past six months.

Best wishes.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Thanks Tony for your posts which are always interesting

The mention of Methotraxate reminded me of the earlier research in Norway on CFS (cancer patients)

Background
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease of unknown aetiology. A patient with CFS had unexpected, marked recovery of CFS symptoms lasting for five months during and after cytotoxic chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease. We reasoned that the transient CFS recovery was related to methotrexate treatment, which induces immunomodulation in part through B-cell depletion.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
i didnt hear of anyone being cured of HIV using methotrexate?!

the most recent news i heard from the HIV eradication groups was that Cytheris' IL-7 drug didnt work..which is a HUGE disappointment.

does someone have a link please?

thanks
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
thank Garcia. I am not sure about the credibility of the article...but very intriguing
 
Messages
51
Location
Newark, NJ
News from Japan regarding the use of an old drug to treat HTLV:

Nervous System Disease: A New Outlet for an Old Drug - August 15, 2013.

The disease goes by the lengthy moniker of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis or 'HAM/TSP' for short. It's developed by a subset of people infected with the sexually-transmitted retrovirus HTLV-1, which infects up to 20 million people worldwide, mainly in equatorial regions. The result is a chronic, progressive demyelinating disease of the lower extremities, leading to muscle weakness, spasms, paraplegia and urinary problems.
Twenty-four HAM/TSP patients, who had had the disease for up to 50 years, took the drug -- prosultiamine -- daily as part of the open-label study. Twelve weeks later, most of the patients were more mobile -- they walked more quickly and were faster at going down stairs. Bladder capacity increased and bladder problems lessened, Tatsufumi Nakamura and colleagues report.
The condition is currently managed with drugs that alter the immune response, such as corticosteroids and interferon-alpha. But their efficacy is contested, and they manage symptoms rather than cure the disease. Prosultiamine, on the other hand, reduced levels of the HTLV-1 provirus in the patients' blood, a sign that the drug may be altering the underlying pathology rather than just managing symptoms.
Results from an earlier trial suggested the drug may prove useful therapeutically, but treatment lasted just 2 weeks. Here, the drug produced favourable results with no serious adverse side effects after 3 months of treatment.
Prosultiamine is already used in the clinic to treat a couple of brain disorders induced by vitamin B1 deficiency. Studies have shown it to be safe and stable. The data presented here suggest that prosultiamine could be a promising therapeutic tool for HAM/TSP, so the next step is larger, randomised, blinded clinical trials to assess its therapeutic value.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130815084757.htm
 
Messages
2
This thread gives some hope.
Is there any hope or advancements in eradicating htlv like it did in that Greek patient?
Please help
 

Jammy88

Senior Member
Messages
163
Location
Italy
Hi micro,

I don't think there's hope to see eradication as something possible for HTLV. However, we can hope that some antiviral drugs will be developed. HTLV task-force was launched in June 2014. They're working on this virus, so hopefully in 8-10 years we'll have some good news concerning this pathogen.
 
Messages
2
Hi micro,

I don't think there's hope to see eradication as something possible for HTLV. However, we can hope that some antiviral drugs will be developed. HTLV task-force was launched in June 2014. They're working on this virus, so hopefully in 8-10 years we'll have some good news concerning this pathogen.
Great, I'll be dead by then.
 

Jammy88

Senior Member
Messages
163
Location
Italy
micro,

If you are Htlv+, you need to ask for treatment. This can include AZT, Tenofovir, or 3TC, in addition to interferon/corticosteroids.

Sorry for your health issues.