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Research Advances in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Impact on Treatement

A review of Dr. Nancy Klimas's presentation at the Conn. CFIDS & FM Association's annual Spring Conference.

Dr. Nancy Klimas is one of the world's leading CFIDS researchers. In her presentation at the Connecticut Conference she reviewed the latest CFIDS research in a variety of areas, including gene expression, viral expression, immunology, endocrinology, cardiology, the brain and nervous system. She also provided information on management and exploration of treatment options.


ADVOCACY ALERT
Important and Critical Action
You Can Take to Further the
CFIDS Cause

In the next several weeks, CFIDS patients and their families will be trying to get the U.S. Congress to take serious action that could result in much better research and treatment for our illness.

You can help in this effort by taking a little time to write your Congresspeople and Senators who have control over CFIDS research. Letter writing is especially important this year because of the increased attention CFIDS is receiving. Please help us make a difference by reading this Alert to see how important it is for us to act.

Vermont CFIDS Association
Has Success in CFIDS Advocacy and Education

Go to the Vermont CFIDS Association website to see what our sister Association is doing to advance the CFIDS cause. On May 12, CFIDS Awareness Day, Vermont celebrated the continuing effort to pass a law providing that physicians in the state be educated about CFIDS and its treatment. You can find links to educational radio shows, advocacy resources, and research materials.

Major Breaking New Development
in CFIDS Research

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is publishing new research studies admitting and confirming that: "There is a clear biologic basis for CFS, and knowing the molecular damage involved will help us devise effective therapeutic intervention and control strategies."

These new studies argue for a genetic or genonomic basis for the illness. The CDC announcment is receiving wide publicity in the media. Some of the language in the Press Release is of definite concern. The research does have potential for further important steps forward. The Mass. CFIDS/FM Association wanted you to have this information as quickly as possible. We will have further evaluation and comment on this development soon.

Increasing number of fatal acute liver failure cases linked to the popular painkiller
acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Special Section
New Jan. 2006

Exciting and Hopeful News for CFIDS Research and Treatment.
A New Research Approach - Genomics - Faulty Gene Expression in CFIDS.

This special section contains important updates on 3 research groups that have found altered gene expression in CFIDS patients. Drs. Gow and Kerr in England and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have all found similar alterations in cellular metabolism caused by abnormal gene expression. The significance of this research is that it may, in the future, lead to treatments and a better understading of what actually causes the illness.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control publish pilot study...

Kerr’s Team Finds Significant Differences in Gene Expression...

New Jan. 2006

Researchers in the Netherlands
Find Reduced Gray Matter in Patients with CFIDS

New for June 2005

More Promising CFIDS Research:
Dr. Natelson's preliminary findings of protein changes
in the spinal fluid of CFIDS patients.

Dr. Benjamin Natelson, M.D., professor of neurosciences at the University of New Jersey Medical School, is a highly respected CFIDS researcher. He recently, using a new technology called proteomic profiling, has found abnormal proteins in the spinal fluid of CFIDS patients.

New for May 2005

International Conference on Chronic Fatigue Points to Low-grade Viral Infections in Brain

February 22, 2005

At the International Conference on Fatigue Science held in Japan, several reports emerged discussing the role of a number of viruses, including HHV-6A, in the pathology of CFIDS. Presentations were made by renowned CFIDS specialists, like by Dr. Daniel Peterson and Dr. Dharam Ablashi, who found active HHV-6A virus in both the brain and spinal fluid of CFIDS patients. They report the virus is neurotrophic, that is, it invades nervous tissue. Dr. Peterson has been treating patients with two intravenous anti-viral drugs, including ampligen, and has found "the majority has responded."

Other scientists also present important findings. While there are no breakthroughs in the conference reports, the research may represent some substantial progress in understanding CFIDS.

New for March 2005

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to HHV-6 VIRUS

International Conference on Chronic Fatigue Points to Low-grade Viral Infections in Brain

February 22, 2005 – The HHV-6 Foundation, an association formed to raise awareness, funding and further research for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), has today announced that some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be linked to human herpesvirus 6 A variant (HHV-6A). The announcement comes on the heels of the International Fatigue Conference on Fatigue Science that was held in Japan on February 9-11. The conference was attended by some 200 scientists from around the world.

Disability Handbook

New (2004), revised, comprehensive and updated

"How to Obtain Social Security Benefits if You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS)"

New for April 2003

Canadian CFS Definition, Diagnostic &
Treatment Protocol

The most accurate way yet developed to clinically determine if a person is likely to have CFIDS.

New for Dec. 2002

Excerpts from The Update
Mass CFIDS/FM Association's Quarterly Publication
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