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US scientists say they have made a potential breakthrough in understanding what causes the condition known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or ME.
美国科学家称，他们已经发现导致慢性疲劳症的重大突破。
Their research in the journal, Science, suggests that a single retrovirus（逆转录酶病毒） known as XMRV does play a role in ME.
They found the virus in 67% of ME patients compared to under 4% of the general population.
But experts cautioned that the study did not conclusively（最后地） prove a link between XMRV and ME.
ME is a debilitating（衰弱的） condition that affects an estimated 17 million people worldwide.
The discovery raises hopes of new treatments for the condition.
Retroviruses are known to cause neurological symptoms, cancer and immunological deficiencies（免疫力缺乏）.
Contributing factor
The Whittemore Peterson Institute in Nevada, said they had extracted the DNA from XMRV in the blood of 68 out of 101 patients with the condition.
Cell culture experiments revealed that the patient-derived XMRV was infectious.
The researchers said these findings raise the possibility that XMRV may be a contributing factor to ME.
XMRV is also known to have a role in some prostate cancers.
Dr Judy Mikovits, who led the study, said: "It's a blood borne（生，负荷） pathogen（病原体） that we contract through body fluids（体液） and blood transmission.
"The symptoms of ME - chronic fatigue（慢性疲劳）, immune deficiencies, chronic infections - are what we see w
ith retroviruses.
"This discovery could be a major step in the discovery of vital treatment options for millions of patients."
Tony Britton, of the ME Association said: "This is fascinating work - but it doesn't conclusively prove a link between the XMRV virus and chronic fatigue syndrome or ME.
"Many people with ME/CFS say their illness started after a viral infection, and a number of enteroviruses（肠道病毒） and herpes viruses（疱疹病毒） have also been implicated in the past.
"ME/CFS is an immensely complex illness, with many possible causes and there are up to 240,000 sufferers in the UK desperate to get better."
Invest in ME are enormously encouraged by the current research which shows a potential new cause for this devastating neurological illness. More importantly it promises a diagnos [1] [2] 下一页 【已有很多网友发表了看法，点击参与讨论】【对英语不懂，点击提问】【英语论坛】【返回首页】
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