European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 2, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Only a few people gel mononucleosis during adolescence an estimated 90 percent of americans Are exposed to Iho virus by Iho time they reach adulthood and Ihus carry it inside their bodies in its latent form. Peterson found evidence of reactivation of Epstoin Barr virus in his patients bu1 did 1 know How to interpret it. They were the wrong age he says. They were 30 and 40 and 50-Yeaf-Olds," when he saw the article on eps1ein-Barr virus in adults however he was convinced he d found the explanation for he Yahoo Epi Telic i said to Paul Chene thai s what these people have it fit but whal was reactivating the virus if s he triggering Factor that has become More interesting Peterson says stress and depression Are known to Lead to recurrences of genital herpes and cold Sorea which Are also caused by herpes viruses. Could emotional factors be responsible Here that explanation would unite both sides in the debate Over the disease s origin. A virus was involved and stress or depression was the trigger. Thai did t explain Why the disease would spread so rapidly. It s very interesting of postulate thai the episode Here was induced by another virus Peterson says thai would explain lha contagion and the Cheney who left incline Village in february for the nails clinic in Charlotte ., began to think the trigger might be a retrovirus. In june 1986, he sent blood samples from Tahoe patients to or. Robert Gallo a leading rear virologist. Gail and his colleagues at the National cancer Institute discovered retroviruses that cause cancer and the retrovirus that causes aids. They had just found a new virus in patients with immune system disorders including some Wilh aids. Peterson says that Many Lake Tahoe patients have antibodies to the new virus called human b virus or Hbl. That Means they Havo been exposed to it. Hbl appears capable of damaging he immune system. Could i be the agent that reactivates the epsl8in.barrv.rus? Peterson leans toward that hypothesis. It would be a very unusual coincidence if it want a says but i have no proof or Zaki Salahuddin a Coffa Agus of Gallo s and one of the principal discoverers of Hbl says the role of the Sims in the Tahoe epidemic is being actively considered the jury is still Komaroff agrees but continues to consider Hbl a plausible candidate. His findings Are to be published in amphora Perenon with patient tracking Down a Etna. A scientific journal within a Tew months and until then he declines to elaborate but one thing he report will show. Chenoy says is that the Lake Tahoe victims have a wide Range of immune system abnormalities that could no be caused by psychiatric illnesses. Whatever else this is he says it s not depression and anxiety said Cheney or. Thomas Merigan chief of infectious diseases at Stanford University disagrees we saw a patient and i be talked to other physicians who Havo seen Many of the patients. And i m not sure they Are really dealing wih a True epidemic Merigan says. He thinks most of the patients Are suffering from psychosomatic disorders produced by anxiety. To explains the sudden appearance of symptoms in so Many people sometimes if you locus on complaints you reinforce or. Peal Cheney left hit joint practice with Peterson at Lake Tahoe to work at s clinic in Charlotte Of photo or. Leslie Dorfman a Stanford neurologist who examined the patient for evidence of virally induced brain damage said a brain scan revealed a Small defect bul he says such Rio facts can occur in healthy people. In a Leller o science Magazine Dorfman mole Many of the symptoms being described by the individuals insomnia fatigue anxiety impaired concentration arc familiar a temels of the chronic stress syndrome so prevalent in our society a the request of Peterson and Cheney the centers for disease control sent to researchers to incline Village in 1985. They found some association with the Epstein Barr virus but the evidence was inconclusive. Something thai always interests me is to Walch people who sit Down Wilh a group of these patients and simply talk to them Cheney says of Don t Ihrk it takes Long to gel 3 sense that something is Richard Lingo. 41, a teacher at North Yahoo Gigli school came Down with the a Sease in september 1985, Whilo working out so gel in shape for skiing. I d work out get sick and go two weeks and then feel it began with headaches then insomnia despite overwhelming Aligue. Then came Foss o memory inability to do simple arithmetic. I never thought i d sea mental illness but i was mentally ill he says. I could be watching a comedy and break Down crying Oporto Antonucci 54, who i Acnes at Truckee High school in tru Cecee. Calif., was one of 10 teachers who shared a classroom each Day to prepare their lessons. Seven came Down with the disease in the summer of 1985. Antonucci went to school one Day feeling line bul soon developed nausea and a headache. As the Day went on those symptoms multiplied he says. I just thought in was one Linoso Days he did not Dolurno school in september. In March 1986, he was barely Able to re me teaching two periods m the morning before collapsing at Home at 11 am. The headaches and fatigue Gol worse and now the Only activity he can manage is logo into town once a week for mail and groceries. Peterson has been Reading patients with acyclovir a d
