February 26, 2010

expert comments on new study casting doubt over ME virus link, as published in the BMJ

In addition to other recent research findings, this new study casts further doubt on previously identified links between a particular virus (known as XMRV) and chronic fatigue syndrome/ME.

Prof Myra McClure, Professor of Retrovirology & Honorary Consultant, Head of Section of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, said:

“Three papers from three well-respected European laboratories have now independently and unambiguously failed to find XMRV in CFS patients. New results from other US laboratories will now be very interesting. It is unlikely that this virus is only found in US CFS patients, but it is possible that the cluster of patients studied in the original paper by Lombardi could be infected with XMRV, but that the virus has no role in CFS. This needs to be investigated.”