Cunningham, L, Bowles, N E, Lane, R J et al. · The Journal of general virology · 1990 · DOI
Researchers found that some ME/CFS patients have enterovirus (a type of virus) present in their muscle tissue. Importantly, when they examined the viral genetic material, they discovered something unusual: the virus was producing equal amounts of two types of RNA strands, whereas in normal viral infections, one strand vastly outnumbers the other. This abnormal pattern suggests the body may not be properly controlling how the virus reproduces.
This study provides mechanistic insight into how enterovirus might persist in ME/CFS muscle tissue, suggesting a specific defect in viral RNA control rather than simple viral dormancy. Understanding the abnormal viral replication pattern could help explain why some ME/CFS patients have persistent infections and may guide future therapeutic approaches targeting viral persistence.
This study does not establish that enterovirus causes ME/CFS, nor does it determine how common enteroviral persistence is in ME/CFS patients overall. It also cannot distinguish whether the abnormal RNA pattern is a cause of disease, a consequence of immune dysfunction, or an incidental finding. The findings describe what happens in persistent infection but do not explain why the body fails to clear the virus.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Cunningham, L, Bowles, N E, Lane, R J, Dubowitz, V, & Archard, L C (1990). Persistence of enteroviral RNA in chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with the abnormal production of equal amounts of positive and negative strands of enteroviral RNA.. The Journal of general virology. https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-71-6-1399
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-cunningham-1990-persistence-enteroviral,
author = {Cunningham, L and Bowles, N E and Lane, R J and Dubowitz, V and Archard, L C},
title = {Persistence of enteroviral RNA in chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with the abnormal production of equal amounts of positive and negative strands of enteroviral RNA.},
journal = {The Journal of general virology},
year = {1990},
doi = {10.1099/0022-1317-71-6-1399},
note = {PubMed: 2161907},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/cunningham-1990-persistence-enteroviral},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/cunningham-1990-persistence-enteroviral
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