A Virus and Chronic Fatigue? (broadcast Friday, October 16th, 2009)

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) in an electron micrograph. Image courtesy University of Utah.

Researchers have identified a link between the presence of a virus known as XMRV and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- but what does the presence of such a link mean? Writing in the journal Science last week, researchers described their analysis of blood cells taken from people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. "We identified DNA from a human gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 patients (67%) compared to 8 of 218 (3.7%) healthy controls," they wrote. The same virus has also been linked to certain types of prostate cancer. But what can the presence of the virus tell health researchers about Chronic Fatigue and other difficult-to-study conditions? We'll find out more.