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Originally published in Science Express on 8 October 2009
Science 23 October 2009:
Vol. 326. no. 5952, pp. 585 - 589
DOI: 10.1126/science.1179052
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Reports

Detection of an Infectious Retrovirus, XMRV, in Blood Cells of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Vincent C. Lombardi,1,* Francis W. Ruscetti,2,* Jaydip Das Gupta,3 Max A. Pfost,1 Kathryn S. Hagen,1 Daniel L. Peterson,1 Sandra K. Ruscetti,4 Rachel K. Bagni,5 Cari Petrow-Sadowski,6 Bert Gold,2 Michael Dean,2 Robert H. Silverman,3 Judy A. Mikovits1,{dagger}

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disease of unknown etiology that is estimated to affect 17 million people worldwide. Studying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CFS patients, we identified DNA from a human gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus–related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 patients (67%) as compared to 8 of 218 (3.7%) healthy controls. Cell culture experiments revealed that patient-derived XMRV is infectious and that both cell-associated and cell-free transmission of the virus are possible. Secondary viral infections were established in uninfected primary lymphocytes and indicator cell lines after their exposure to activated PBMCs, B cells, T cells, or plasma derived from CFS patients. These findings raise the possibility that XMRV may be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of CFS.

1 Whittemore Peterson Institute, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
2 Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, National Cancer Institute–Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
3 Department of Cancer Biology, The Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
4 Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute–Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
5 Advanced Technology Program, National Cancer Institute–Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
6 Basic Research Program, Scientific Applications International Corporation, National Cancer Institute–Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.

* These authors contributed equally to this work.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: judym{at}wpinstitute.org

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
A New Virus for Old Diseases?.
J. M. Coffin and J. P. Stoye (2009)
Science 326, 530-531
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