Jamie Deckoff-Jones on contamination, autism, and an epidemiological disaster

Jamie Deckoff-Jones, MD, is a physician who is XMRV positive and suffers from ME/CFS. She maintains a blog about the disease and her own progress with HIV retroviral treatments.

In her post on December 22, 2010, Returning to Function, Dr. Deckoff responds to the papers released two days earlier showing that mouse DNA contamination can distort PCR test results - and the ludicrous claim that this proves XMRV does not cause CFS. She also discusses a possible relationship between XMRV and autism.

Later in her post, Dr. Deckoff touches on the epidemiological investigative and research disaster that has led to the spread of what now appears to be a very dangerous virus. Had proper investigation and research been done when "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" epidemics surfaced in Incline Village, Nevada, and Lyndonville, New York, over 25 years ago, this ghastly disease might have been confined to a relatively small number of people.

Instead, millions are infected, millions are suffering, millions have had their lives destroyed. Who knows how many thousands have died? How many more will be infected before the mechanisms of transmission are understood - and methods of prevention devised?

Dr. Deckoff's blog post is the source of the new quote in this blog's header, above. Thank you, Jamie, for your eloquence, your passion, and your commitment to science and truth.

Update: Contamination In the News

More on the PCR/mouse DNA contamination red herring:

• Whittemore-Peterson Institute Statement Regarding Retrovirology Article
• XMRV: A Human Retrovirus with Unknown Pathogenic Potential, Not a Lab Contaminant
• The Wall Street Journal
• The New York Times
• Letter from Annette Whittemore
• XMRV and CFS - It's not the end - a well-known virologist retracts his initial knee-jerk reaction.