On 21 Feb 1997, Bruce Phillips wrote:
>> As some involved in polio research for many years, I have never
> considered poliovirus, or most enteroviruse, as routinely capable of
> causing persistent infections in vitro and in vivo. If there is
> literature on polio as a persistent virus infection, I would sure
> like to hear about it.
>>I wish I could give you a more complete answer. I remember that two
British studies included in the Cambridge Conference on Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis in 1980 had similar results, finding that muscle
tissue biopsied from individuals with disease had, more often than
not, direct viral perfusion with either EBV or enteroviruses. A
enterovirus stongly suspected in chronic illness is Cox Sakke, a
relative of Polio. I don't know when you say that you research,
whether you are a writer or a bench researcher. If you are the
former, I will send you an excerpt from a book published in Canada
about ME and post ME. The diagnostic label of post ME is proposed for
those who had ME as children. The adult disease may be more severe
for this class of patient. Very severe cases can appear in children
with first time patients as well.
I believe that controversy regarding ME will subside over the
next
ten years, as more classified material on viral research is released.
Clinton had a campaign commitment to banning biological warfare, which
has been stalled by the war in Bosnia. It is widely supported, and I
think when the country is more dovish, a strong interest will
reemerge. Biological warfare has been going on since Korea [see: The
First Casualty: War Correspondence...by Philip Knightlee] (We dropped
American insects in 50 foot long swathes). While agent Orange and the
gulf war related CFS and other diseases have been recognized, it is
not only exposed soldiers who are sick and the search for a cause for
these diseases will continue. A reference for this is the Canadian
book: "The Very Unfortunate Skull Valley Incident..." At the present
time it takes a drive over the border to buy this book. Any concern
about this subject is being drowned out by the sabers. It may be the
old Saber rattlers themselves who are the sickest and in the most need
of help for themselves and their families.
A second reason that the subject is too little discussed is that we
live in a Freudian social nexus still. While Freud declared that all
diseases or symptoms present in women were of a psycholsexual origin.
Over time, attention focused on diseases which were poorly understood
or tied up with military research. The first attempt to produce
Arukeyi, that I am aware of, consisted of Gregory Bateson's attempt to
drop cremated Japanese remains over the Japanese mainland. At this
time Arukeyi meant "Unpropitiated ghost/catastrophe disease." The
Atomic bombing was refered to as the catastrophe, so Arukeyi was later
translated "The Bomb Disease". Japanese neurologists understood the
neurological and immunological facets of the disease at the beginning
of the current epidemic and many many other neurological, infectious
and immunological abnormalities have been identified by researchers
for patient groups and the Federal Government. While the disease is
still identified via physical findings, this may be a temporary phase.
Earlier recognition of the disease would lead to sucessful treatment
for a very expensive disease. Those working in this area struggle
against many difficulties, and researchers ought to be recognized, at
least tacitly as having overcome much that other would not undertake.
It is always darkest just before the dawn, and i have a premonition
that things will get better for military and civilian patients and
researchers soon.
