This question & answer moved over from my formspring account. This question was  originally asked in September 2010.

Now that there’s a (somewhat) official name, what is happening with treatment?

There’s already been some in vitro testing in which AZT was found to inhibit XMRV. Raltegravir and tenofovir have also been found to inhibit it.

There has been talk (mostly talk) at this point of clinical trials. There are antiretrovirals approved for human use but not useful for HIV; those will likely get tested in vitro too.

A physician, Dr. Jamie Deckoff-Jones, and her daughter Ali have been taking AZT and raltegravir since March 2010. Dr. Deckoff-Jones is keeping a blog here: http://treatingxmrv.blogspot.com

They seem to have shown remarkable improvement. However, Dr. Deckoff-Jones did say in one entry that she knew of other patients also trying the regimen who were not improving.

Anyhow, two people does not a trial make, and I hope there will be some soon. Even if known, already available drugs can inhibit gammaretroviruses, we don’t know what that will mean in terms of symptom relief, and we also don’t know how people with this illness will handle antiretrovirals. They’re potent stuff.