Scientists at NIH, FDA & CDC To Hold Briefing On XMRV Retrovirus

Note: I plan to begin posting blogs about the XMRV retrovirus on Addi and Cassi’s website. Why would I start posting about XMRV when Addi and Cassi have Niemann Pick Type C disease, a fatal “childhood Alzheimer’s” like condition? People who are reading my blog for the first time need to know that all people are born with the Niemann Pick Type C gene. This critical gene on Chromosome 18 regulates cholesterol metabolism at the cellular level, and unlike Addi and Cassi who were born with a double genetic mutation on their Niemann Pick cholesterol gene, most people are born with healthy non-mutated NPC genes.

Addi and Cassi have been confirmed to be positive for XMRV, a human gamma retrovirus that finally may be confirmed by the NIH and FDA today. Retroviruses like XMRV and HIV-AIDS insert into your genetic material and stay for life and millions of people worldwide are suspected to be infected with XMRV.

At 3pm Eastern time today (Monday, August 23) the NIH, FDA and CDC will hold a joint telebriefing for the press to discuss an XMRV paper that the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PLoS) is publishing. If the XMRV virus is finally confirmed after months of controversy, this will be a historic day.

On the call will be:

• Harvey Alter, M.D., Chief, Clinical Studies and Associate Director for Research, Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center
• Shyh-Ching Lo, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Tissue Safety Laboratory Program, Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies and Division of Human Tissues, Office of Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies, Food and Drug Administration Food and Drug Administration
• Celia Witten, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Office of Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies, Food and Drug Administration
• Hira Nakhasi, Ph.D., Director, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Food and Drug Administration
• Steve Monroe, Ph.D., Director, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Will the public finally be told that XMRV is “real” and the nation’s blood supply is infected? If so, will the public finally wake up to the gravity of the situation with XMRV? Will mass panic break out if NIH confirms that people can catch the XMRV virus from a sneeze or kiss?

The question I keep asking myself is how did Addi and Cassi get XMRV? Since they are only six years old, they did not get it from having sex. Either I gave it to them (they were born with it) or they CONTRACTED it. I am almost certain that they CONTRACTED XMRV at around 3 years old when they first became sick with a mysterious “Mono” like syndrome and I took them to Stanford. Either way, it’s frightening because the twins contracted it from saliva (airborne) or I gave it to my unborn children!!!!!

One leading HIV-AIDS researcher I know, Dr. James Hildreth at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, has been funded by NIAID to look at the connection between the XMRV and cholesterol. Dr. Hildreth previously discovered that in order for HIV-AIDS to survive in the human body, it utilizes cholesterol and the Niemann Pick Type C gene. Does XMRV also utilize cholesterol and the Niemann Pick Type C gene that all people are born with to do it’s dirty work as well? I can’t help but wonder what role cholesterol plays in the XMRV virus, if any.

The question for me now is how do I deal with treating both conditions — a fatal progressive genetic cholesterol disease that is stealing my twins’ minds combined with a nasty retrovirus.