Del Prete, Gregory Q, Kearney, Mary F, Spindler, Jon et al. · Journal of virology · 2012 · DOI
This study tested what happens when XMRV, a virus previously linked to ME/CFS, is deliberately introduced into macaque monkeys. The virus was unable to establish a persistent infection—it briefly appeared in the bloodstream but was quickly controlled and eliminated by the immune system. The monkeys remained healthy throughout the study, suggesting that if XMRV infection occurred in humans, it would likely be similarly limited.
This study addresses a critical question in ME/CFS research: whether XMRV can establish productive infection in primate hosts. The findings support the conclusion that previous human XMRV detections were likely contamination rather than authentic infection, as intrinsic antiviral mechanisms would prevent sustained viral replication even if exposure occurred.
This animal model study does not directly prove whether XMRV infection occurs or its role in human ME/CFS pathogenesis. Macaque immune responses may differ from human responses in ways relevant to viral persistence. The study also does not address whether XMRV could contribute to disease through transient infection or mechanisms independent of persistent viral replication.
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
Del Prete, Gregory Q, Kearney, Mary F, Spindler, Jon, Wiegand, Ann, Chertova, Elena, Roser, James D, et al. (2012). Restricted replication of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in pigtailed macaques.. Journal of virology. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.06886-11
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-del-prete-2012-restricted-replication,
author = {Del Prete, Gregory Q and Kearney, Mary F and Spindler, Jon and Wiegand, Ann and Chertova, Elena and Roser, James D and Estes, Jacob D and Hao, Xing Pei and Trubey, Charles M and Lara, Abigail and Lee, Kyeongeun and Chaipan, Chawaree and Bess, Julian W and Nagashima, Kunio and Keele, Brandon F and Macallister, Rhonda and Smedley, Jeremy and Pathak, Vinay K and Kewalramani, Vineet N and Coffin, John M and Lifson, Jeffrey D},
title = {Restricted replication of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in pigtailed macaques.},
journal = {Journal of virology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1128/JVI.06886-11},
note = {PubMed: 22238316},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/del-prete-2012-restricted-replication},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/del-prete-2012-restricted-replication
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