ME-Gids.Net

In retrospect, the method used in most studies for detection of XMRV, almost exclusively nested PCR amplification, has been a rather unlucky choice. In clinical virology, a putative virus infection is usually probed with a serological assay, although real time PCR assays are currently in use for infections in which a high copy number of viral nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) is known to correlate with disease. A simple detection PCR is rarely the first method of choice for several reasons, including the danger of getting false positives due to contamination. Serological assays for XMRV are currently being developed, and will be much needed to distinguish genuine infected patients from contamination cases. Serology will be more informative than running a control PCR for mouse DNA as contamination by XMRV particles (e.g. from protein preparations or contaminated cell cultures) will not show mouse DNA, other than the viral genome.

It is of
utmost importance to resolve these questions in
a timely manner, as some CFS patients have begun
taking antiretroviral drugs that can have side
effects. Based on the original XMRV studies, it has
also been proposed that CFS patients be banned
from donating blood.

Ook niet dat ze zeggen: it is of utmost importance... omdat het de ziekteverschijnselen van zoveel mensen zou kunnen verklaren.