Failure to detect xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in blood of individuals at high risk of blood-borne viral infections
Barnes, E.; Flanagan, P.; Brown, A.; Robinson, N.; Brown, H.; McClure, M.; Oxenius, A.; Collier, J.; Weber, J.; Günthard, H.F.; Hirschel, B.; Fidler, S.; Phillips, R.; Frater, J.
Journal of Infectious Diseases 202(10): 1482-1485
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1537-6613
PMID: 20936982
DOI: 10.1086/657167
Accession: 053201213
A xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) has recently been reported in association with prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome, with a prevalence of up to 3.7% in the healthy population. We looked for XMRV in 230 patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 or hepatitis C infection. XMRV was undetectable in plasma or peripheral blood mononuclear cells by polymerase chain reaction targeting XMRV gag or env. T cell responses to XMRV Gag were undetectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by ex vivo gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assay. In our cohorts, XMRV was not enriched in patients with blood-borne or sexually transmitted infections from the United Kingdom and Western Europe.