[iTunes] iTunes virus on PCs?

[Becca]

I'm running iTunes 8 on Windows XP. Lately, every time I start up iTunes, I get a connection error with the iTunes store (which means I can't get my podcasts)... somehow, something is being set so that it can't access the internet. My husband comes in and messes around doing something very technical, and I can access the iTunes store, until I turn off my computer. When I turn it back on again, the problem is there again.

I recently had a virus attack on my computer that I thought our firewall and virus detector had fended off, but I'm wondering whether there is a known virus out there that attacks the iTunes ability to access the store. Can anyone help me?

thanks!

-becca