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Kitt · 04-05-2008, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anka

Hi Kitt,

I just looked up CMT and wondered if it was related to viruses (like shingles) that use nerve pathways? Have you been tested for viruses?

There's a lot of peripheral neuropathy in Lyme patients (and I know in many other diseases including diabetes) and some are just starting to make a link to viruses as a possible cause. The accompanying nerve pain appears to be similar to herpetic nerve pain. I've had intermittent pn and nerve pain and wonder if those spells might have corresponded to virus flares when my immune system dipped. I just got tested and appear positive for HHV6 and EBV. There are others I should probably look into as well, though I'm just starting to learn about this. Wow, there's so much to learn. It helps to have resources like this.

Thanks again,
Anka

Hi Anka, CMT is the most common "inherited" neurological disorder. It is not caused by a virus. It is found world wide and in all races. It affects the peripheral nervous system not the central nervous system. There are a number of types of it. If a parent has CMT then in the type 1's and type 2's each child has a 50/50% of acquiring it. It's in the genes. There is much research being done on it. It has had a name since 1886 when Charcot-Marie-Tooth, the three doctors discovered it. By the way, Charcot also discovered ALS, MS and some others. It is a complicated disease but it is inherited and it is an atrophy not a dystrophy like MD. We are born with healthy muscles but signals can't get to the nerves very well and so the muscles atrophy. With MD people are born with diseased muscles. CMT is one of 40 diseases under the MDA "umbrella" as they say. It is often misdiagnosed as MS, polio, Fredericks Ataxia, etc. There is DNA blood testing now since 1993 for the types they can test for thru Athena Diagnostics. I believe there are 10 types they can test for now. 33 genes discovered and 44 not discovered yet.

I have done some research on Lyme Disease as well since I do live in an area where it happens. Very interesting stuff too and hope I never get it although we do have a fellow in town who got it a number of years ago. Didn't know it at the time - no bulls eye rash (you don't have to have one) but he had Lyme Disease. He ended up with a heart difibulator as it affected his heart for one thing. At any rate, I'm sure you know all of that and as you say, there is so very much to learn. Thank you for asking

There is much more on CMT but too much to tell. And so much more to learn. Thanks again

I did more posting on it on the MS Map forum. Just turned out that way