This
is a short video of Dr. Jose Montoya of the Stanford Hospital
Infectious Disease Clinic, speaking about CFS/ME. Dr. Montoya has
completed clinical trials of valganciclovir (Valcyte), an antiviral,
on patients with Viral Induced CNS Dysfunction, a subset of patients
with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The data Dr. Montoya presented at the
2008 International Conference on HHV-6&7 indicated that after
taking Valcyte, patients experienced significant cognitive
improvement. He is currently collaborating with Ian Lipkin, Professor
of Neurology and Pathology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons
at Columbia University. Professor Lipkin is also Director of the
Center for Infection and Immunity, an academic laboratory for microbe
hunting in acute and chronic diseases.
In
this interview, Dr. Montoya addresses the onset and treatment of
CFS/ME. He states that perhaps 11% of those who have acute infections
of any kind may develop CFS/ME. Dr. Montoya believes that CFS/ME is
an immune response to an infection. While the initiating infection
may vary from patient to patient, he believes that CFS/ME is most
likely caused by some common pathway in the immune system, which he
characterizes as a “two-edged sword.” On the one hand, the immune
system combats the infection, but on the other it may perpetuate an
ongoing cycle of symptoms.
Dr.
Montoya's primary clinical approach is through the use of antivirals.
He has personally seen patients who have been ill for decades make
recoveries after antiviral treatment. His main interest is in
“brain fog,” the set of cognitive disturbances that inhibits a
patient's ability to focus or to perform mental tasks.
Dr.
Montoya's goal is to have a CFS/ME center where patients can recover,
away from the stresses of life. “Our dream is to eradicate CFS
from the surface of the earth,” he states. He believes that dream
is within our reach.
More
information:
Stanford
Chronic Fatigue Initiative