Virus 'not to blame for chronic fatigue syndrome'

There is no link between the disabling condition chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and two viruses called XMRV and pMLV, a study has confirmed.

Previous research had suggested that one or other of these viruses might be responsible for CFS, with patients reportedly carrying these infections.

But a new study in the journal mBio states that the research was wrong and that there is no evidence of infection causing CFS, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).


The latest study looked at 147 people with CFS/ME and a further 146 healthy volunteers.

Blood samples failed to find any evidence of infection with XMRV or pMLV in people with CFS/ME, according to Ian Lipkin, a researcher at Columbia University in the US.

'We've tested the XMRV/pMLV hypothesis and found it wanting,' he confirmed, adding: 'These results refute any correlation between these agents and disease.'

The research team included Dr Judy Mikovits, who authored the 2009 paper in Science journal that originally linked XMRV to CFS.

She said she welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the latest research and insisted that, while the outcome was disappointing, the original paper 'resulted in global awareness of this crippling disease and has sparked new interest in CFS research'.ADNFCR-554-ID-801451136-ADNFCR

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