TY - JOUR T1 - Failure to Detect the Novel Retrovirus XMRV in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome A1 - Erlwein, Otto A1 - Kaye, Steve A1 - McClure, Myra O. A1 - Weber, Jonathan A1 - Wills, Gillian A1 - Collier, David A1 - Wessely, Simon A1 - Cleare, Anthony Y1 - 2010/01/06 N2 - Background In October 2009 it was reported that 68 of 101 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in the US were infected with a novel gamma retrovirus, xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus (XMRV), a virus previously linked to prostate cancer. This finding, if confirmed, would have a profound effect on the understanding and treatment of an incapacitating disease affecting millions worldwide. We have investigated CFS sufferers in the UK to determine if they are carriers of XMRV. Methodology Patients in our CFS cohort had undergone medical screening to exclude detectable organic illness and met the CDC criteria for CFS. DNA extracted from blood samples of 186 CFS patients were screened for XMRV provirus and for the closely related murine leukaemia virus by nested PCR using specific oligonucleotide primers. To control for the integrity of the DNA, the cellular beta-globin gene was amplified. Negative controls (water) and a positive control (XMRV infectious molecular clone DNA) were included. While the beta-globin gene was amplified in all 186 samples, neither XMRV nor MLV sequences were detected. Conclusion XMRV or MLV sequences were not amplified from DNA originating from CFS patients in the UK. Although we found no evidence that XMRV is associated with CFS in the UK, this may be a result of population differences between North America and Europe regarding the general prevalence of XMRV infection, and might also explain the fact that two US groups found XMRV in prostate cancer tissue, while two European studies did not. JF - PLOS ONE JA - PLOS ONE VL - 5 IS - 1 UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008519 SP - e8519 EP - PB - Public Library of Science M3 - doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008519 ER -