RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Search for retrovirus in the chronic fatigue syndrome.
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 1058
OP 1061
DO 10.1136/jcp.45.12.1058
VO 45
IS 12
A1 J W Gow
A1 K Simpson
A1 A Schliephake
A1 W M Behan
A1 L J Morrison
A1 H Cavanagh
A1 A Rethwilm
A1 P O Behan
YR 1992
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/45/12/1058.abstract
AB AIM: To examine peripheral blood and skeletal muscle from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome for exogenous retrovirus. METHODS: Blood samples from 30 patients and muscle biopsy specimens of 15 patients were examined for retroviral sequences by DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Southern blotting hybridisation. Sera were examined for human foamy virus by western immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence techniques. RESULTS: No differences between the patient and control populations was found for any of the PCR primer sets used (gag, pol, env, and tax regions of HTLV I/II). An endogenous gag band was observed in both the patient and control groups. All sera were negative for antibody to human foamy virus. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that there is no evidence of retroviral involvement in the chronic fatigue syndrome.