The Chronic Fatigue Initiative and Interview with Mady Hornig

In a follow-up article to the recent IACFS/ME conference presentation in San Francisco, and after speaking at length with Dr. Mady Hornig, ‘searcher’ delves deeper into the impressive work being completed by the Chronic Fatigue Initiative, and focuses in on those cytokine results … Members of the Chronic Fatigue Initiative (CFI) and Scott Carlson, the executive director of the Hutchins Family

Continue

A Brief Tour Through Some Common Topics in M.E. Science

A concluding article for the ‘In Brief…’ Series, summing up the previous articles which attempted to explain the science behind fairly common topics and exploring how they relate to ME – by Andrew Gladman. Over the past few weeks and months I’ve been busily researching, evaluating and writing the series of articles under the subheading of ‘In Brief…’. The original idea

Continue

In Brief: Viruses and ME

The first in a new series of short articles attempting to explain the science behind fairly common topics and exploring how they relate to ME. This time we delve into the complex and somewhat controversial world of viruses – by Andrew Gladman. I think it safe to say that no topic is quite as disputed as the role that viruses might

Continue

Lipkin finds biomarkers not bugs

The CDC PCOCA telephone broadcast on 10 September 2013, featured a lengthy presentation from Dr Ian Lipkin who revealed some stunning initial results from the study that is primarily hunting for pathogens in ME/CFS. Simon McGrath and Russell Fleming (Firestormm) review this exciting and possibly game-changing news… Read the full Lipkin Transcript: Here. Dr Ian Lipkin has been a human

Continue

Bartonella and Cat Scratch Disease

Joel (snowathlete) continues his series on zoonotic pathogens with an introduction to Bartonelliosis Bartonella is a zoonotic that frequently infects humans causing diseases termed Bartonelliosis. Probably the most commonly known is cat scratch disease (CSD) which, you guessed it, you catch from cats (especially cute kittens). Cat scratch disease is caused by two species of Bartonella: B. henselae and B.

Continue

Parvovirus B19 in an Icosahedral Nutshell

Joel (snowathlete) reviews the research on ME/CFS and Parvovirus B19. Parvovirus B19 (B19) is a small virus with an icosahedral shell (a polyhedron having 20 faces) [1] and has been linked with the onset of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). B19 was discovered fortuitously in 1975. There are several other parvoviruses, but most don’t infect humans. You may have heard

Continue
Borrelia

Borrelia – In the Lymelight

Joel (Snowathlete) continues his series on zoonotic pathogens with a thorough examination of Borellia and Lyme disease – and their possible relevance for ME/CFS patients. Borrelia is the bacterium that causes borreliosis. It is a microscopic spiral-shaped parasite. There are many different species of Borrelia, some of which cause Lyme borreliosis, otherwise known as Lyme disease. Borrelia is a zoonotic

Continue

Mady Hornig: How do you solve a problem like CFS?

Simon McGrath explains how Mady Hornig is applying tools used to understand other complex illnesses in an effort to unlock the secrets of ME/CFS. In a recent article I looked at the huge studies Professor Mady Hornig has underway looking for pathogens or signs of immune abnormalities in ME/CFS. While these are immensely impressive, I thought they were eclipsed by

Continue

Lipkin and Hornig go hunting for ME/CFS pathogens

by Simon McGrath For me, the star attraction of Nancy Klimas’ recent CFS/GWI conference was always going to be Professor Mady Hornig and her talk. Hornig might not be well known by ME/CFS patients – yet – but her boss is: Ian Lipkin, who so skillfully handled the XMRV ‘dediscovery’ study (which she worked on too). Despite disproving a link

Continue
wordle made up of zoonotic words

Zoonoses – a load of cock-and-bull?

by Joel (Snowathlete) For millennia man has predicted the end of the world: an asteroid strike, a super-volcano, global warming… but in recent years, we’ve been told that our greatest threat is the microbe. In 2003 it was Bird flu, then in 2009 it was Swine flu, but as we’re still here, perhaps it’s a cock-and-bull story, rather than a

Continue