The reactivation of mono/ebv plays a role in cfs/fms sufferers. Possibly caused by a compromised immune system. We have alot of info in this post, and a few
more. Please ask if you have any questions. Chronic EBV is associated with numerous cancers and can be a serious illness. It is discussed extensively here:
www.emedicine.com/PED/topic705.htm<lots of info here including Medline abstracts
www.virology.net/garryfav...html#gamma
www.cfs.inform.dk/Virus/virus.html
www.niaid.nih.gov/factshe...glesFS.htm
Epstine-Barr Virus
--------------------------------------------------
The Epstein-Barr virus frequently referred to as EBV, is one of the most common human viruses, and it occurs world-wide. The Epstein-Barr virus is in the herpes family of viruses, and most people will become infected with EBV sometime during their lives. In the United States, as many as 95% of adults between 35 and 40 years of age have been infected. Infants become susceptible to EBV as soon as the maternal protection present at birth disappears. Many children are infected with EBV and these infections usually cause no symptoms or are indistinguishable from the other mild, brief illnesses of childhood.
In the United States and in other developed countries, many persons are not infected with EBV in their childhood years. In these people, infection with Epstein-Barr virus during adolescence or young adulthood commonly causes infectious mononucleosis.
Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes there is also a swollen spleen or liver infection. Heart problems or involvement of the central nervous system occur only rarely, and infectious mononucleosis is almost never fatal. There are no known associations between active Epstein-Barr virus infection and problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages or birth defects. Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually resolve in one or two months, the Epstein-Barr virus remains dormant in cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the person's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and can be found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of illness.
EBV also establishes a lifelong dormant infection in some cells of the body's immune system. A late event in a very few viral carriers is the emergence of Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, two rare cancers that are not normally found in the United States. EBV appears to play an important role in these malignancies, but is probably not the sole cause of disease.
Most individuals exposed to people with infectious mononucleosis have previously been infected with EBV and are not at risk of developing infectious mononucleosis. In addition, transmission of EBV requires contact with the saliva (found in the mouth) of an infected person. Transmission of this virus through the air or blood does not normally occur. The incubation period, or the time from infection to appearance of symptoms, ranges from 4 to 6 weeks. Thus persons with infectious mononucleosis may be able to spread the infection to others for a period of time. However, no special precautions or isolation procedures are recommended since the virus is also found frequently in the saliva of healthy people. In fact, many healthy people can carry and spread the virus intermittently for life. These people are usually the primary reservoir for person-to-person transmission. For this reason, transmission of the virus is almost impossible to prevent.
The diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis is suggested on the basis of the clinical symptoms of fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, and the age of the patient. Usually, laboratory tests are needed for confirmation.
Blood findings with infectious mononucleosis include an elevated white blood cell count, an increased percentage of certain white blood cells, and a positive reaction to a "mono spot test."
There is no specific treatment for infectious mononucleosis, other than treating the symptoms. No antiviral drugs or vaccines are available. Some physicians have prescribed a five day course of steroids to control the swelling of the tonsils. The use of steroids has also been reported to decrease the overall length and severity of illness, but these reports have not been published.
NEW EPSTEIN-BARR TEST KIT AVAILABLE SOON? Monday, August 24, 1998 Gull Laboratories and Quest Diagnostics jointly announced today that Quest's new test kit for the Epstein-Barr virus will be supplied by Gull on a three-year contract to begin on September 1, 1998. EBV has been associated with some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome. The new test not only detects the presence of antibodies to the virus, but is also capable of detecting whether the infection is in the acute, convalescent or reactivated stage. The press release did not give an exact date when the kits would be available to the public, but Quest says it expects to perform over half a million tests the first year, and 20 percent more each year after that. Source of information: PRNewswire release by Gull Laboratories, Inc.
More on herpes virus and pain:
www.mssm.edu/msjournal/69...07_108.pdf
Nutritional recommendations:
Recommendations for Mono
Eat a diet composed of at least 50 percent raw foods.
Consume as much of your food as possible raw. Also, emphasize wholesome soups, root vegetables, and whole grains, including brown rice.
Each day, drink eight 8-ouce glasses of quality water.
Do not consume any coffee, fried foods, processed foods, soft drinks, stimulants, sugar, tea, or white flour products; these depress immune function.
Eat four to six small meals daily; avoid overeating at any one meal.
Get plenty of rest; round-the-clock bed rest is a good idea during the acute phase of the disorder.
Use a protein supplement from a vegetable source-protein is needed to stimulate the formation of anti-bodies that protect against complications such as hepatitis and jaundice.
Supplement your diet with one or more of the following nutrients-click on any link to find it at the Health Catalog Store: Astragalus and Echinacea boost the immune system
Cat's claw has immune-enhancing properties and acts against viral infections
Acidophilus-Supplies important "friendly" bacteria; use a non-dairy formula
Proteolytic enzymes-Reduces inflammation and aids in absorption of nutrients; Nutrina's Plant Enzymes is a good source
Vitamin A-Essential for the immune system
Beta Carotene-Essential for the immune system
Vitamin E-Essential for the immune system; use d-alpha-tocopherol form
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids-Destroys the virus and boosts the immune system
Free Form Amino Acid Complex-To provide protein, necessary for healing and to rebuild the tissues; use a powdered form; Nutrina's Amino Max product is a good source
Garlic-A powerful immune booster
Vitamin B Complex-B vitamins increase energy and are needed for every bodily function
Vitamin B12-Require for proper digestion and to prevent anemia
Zinc-A powerful antioxidant that helps to fight free radicals
I would like to add also:
Ginko Biloba - for memory loss
Gensing - antibacterial, memory loss
Milk Thistle - helps liver
L-Lysine -antiviral
Shitake mushroom - Antibacterial
Licorice [lycorice] - calms stomach
malic acid and magnesium
GABA - Nervous system suppliment
Bovine whey-immune system builder
www.emedicine.com/PED/topic705.htm<lots of info here including Medline abstracts
www.virology.net/garryfav...html#gamma
www.cfs.inform.dk/Virus/virus.html
www.niaid.nih.gov/factshe...glesFS.htm
Epstine-Barr Virus
--------------------------------------------------
The Epstein-Barr virus frequently referred to as EBV, is one of the most common human viruses, and it occurs world-wide. The Epstein-Barr virus is in the herpes family of viruses, and most people will become infected with EBV sometime during their lives. In the United States, as many as 95% of adults between 35 and 40 years of age have been infected. Infants become susceptible to EBV as soon as the maternal protection present at birth disappears. Many children are infected with EBV and these infections usually cause no symptoms or are indistinguishable from the other mild, brief illnesses of childhood.
In the United States and in other developed countries, many persons are not infected with EBV in their childhood years. In these people, infection with Epstein-Barr virus during adolescence or young adulthood commonly causes infectious mononucleosis.
Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes there is also a swollen spleen or liver infection. Heart problems or involvement of the central nervous system occur only rarely, and infectious mononucleosis is almost never fatal. There are no known associations between active Epstein-Barr virus infection and problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages or birth defects. Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually resolve in one or two months, the Epstein-Barr virus remains dormant in cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the person's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and can be found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of illness.
EBV also establishes a lifelong dormant infection in some cells of the body's immune system. A late event in a very few viral carriers is the emergence of Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, two rare cancers that are not normally found in the United States. EBV appears to play an important role in these malignancies, but is probably not the sole cause of disease.
Most individuals exposed to people with infectious mononucleosis have previously been infected with EBV and are not at risk of developing infectious mononucleosis. In addition, transmission of EBV requires contact with the saliva (found in the mouth) of an infected person. Transmission of this virus through the air or blood does not normally occur. The incubation period, or the time from infection to appearance of symptoms, ranges from 4 to 6 weeks. Thus persons with infectious mononucleosis may be able to spread the infection to others for a period of time. However, no special precautions or isolation procedures are recommended since the virus is also found frequently in the saliva of healthy people. In fact, many healthy people can carry and spread the virus intermittently for life. These people are usually the primary reservoir for person-to-person transmission. For this reason, transmission of the virus is almost impossible to prevent.
The diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis is suggested on the basis of the clinical symptoms of fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, and the age of the patient. Usually, laboratory tests are needed for confirmation.
Blood findings with infectious mononucleosis include an elevated white blood cell count, an increased percentage of certain white blood cells, and a positive reaction to a "mono spot test."
There is no specific treatment for infectious mononucleosis, other than treating the symptoms. No antiviral drugs or vaccines are available. Some physicians have prescribed a five day course of steroids to control the swelling of the tonsils. The use of steroids has also been reported to decrease the overall length and severity of illness, but these reports have not been published.
NEW EPSTEIN-BARR TEST KIT AVAILABLE SOON? Monday, August 24, 1998 Gull Laboratories and Quest Diagnostics jointly announced today that Quest's new test kit for the Epstein-Barr virus will be supplied by Gull on a three-year contract to begin on September 1, 1998. EBV has been associated with some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome. The new test not only detects the presence of antibodies to the virus, but is also capable of detecting whether the infection is in the acute, convalescent or reactivated stage. The press release did not give an exact date when the kits would be available to the public, but Quest says it expects to perform over half a million tests the first year, and 20 percent more each year after that. Source of information: PRNewswire release by Gull Laboratories, Inc.
More on herpes virus and pain:
www.mssm.edu/msjournal/69...07_108.pdf
Nutritional recommendations:
Recommendations for Mono
Eat a diet composed of at least 50 percent raw foods.
Consume as much of your food as possible raw. Also, emphasize wholesome soups, root vegetables, and whole grains, including brown rice.
Each day, drink eight 8-ouce glasses of quality water.
Do not consume any coffee, fried foods, processed foods, soft drinks, stimulants, sugar, tea, or white flour products; these depress immune function.
Eat four to six small meals daily; avoid overeating at any one meal.
Get plenty of rest; round-the-clock bed rest is a good idea during the acute phase of the disorder.
Use a protein supplement from a vegetable source-protein is needed to stimulate the formation of anti-bodies that protect against complications such as hepatitis and jaundice.
Supplement your diet with one or more of the following nutrients-click on any link to find it at the Health Catalog Store: Astragalus and Echinacea boost the immune system
Cat's claw has immune-enhancing properties and acts against viral infections
Acidophilus-Supplies important "friendly" bacteria; use a non-dairy formula
Proteolytic enzymes-Reduces inflammation and aids in absorption of nutrients; Nutrina's Plant Enzymes is a good source
Vitamin A-Essential for the immune system
Beta Carotene-Essential for the immune system
Vitamin E-Essential for the immune system; use d-alpha-tocopherol form
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids-Destroys the virus and boosts the immune system
Free Form Amino Acid Complex-To provide protein, necessary for healing and to rebuild the tissues; use a powdered form; Nutrina's Amino Max product is a good source
Garlic-A powerful immune booster
Vitamin B Complex-B vitamins increase energy and are needed for every bodily function
Vitamin B12-Require for proper digestion and to prevent anemia
Zinc-A powerful antioxidant that helps to fight free radicals
I would like to add also:
Ginko Biloba - for memory loss
Gensing - antibacterial, memory loss
Milk Thistle - helps liver
L-Lysine -antiviral
Shitake mushroom - Antibacterial
Licorice [lycorice] - calms stomach
malic acid and magnesium
GABA - Nervous system suppliment
Bovine whey-immune system builder
Mosken
