Lombardi, Vincent C, Ruscetti, Francis W, Das Gupta, Jaydip et al. · Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2009 · DOI
This study, which has since been retracted, reported finding a virus called XMRV in blood cells from most ME/CFS patients tested, but rarely in healthy people. The researchers showed that this virus could be grown in the lab and transmitted between cells. However, subsequent studies by other scientists could not reproduce these findings, leading to the retraction of this paper.
This study initially generated significant hope and research attention for ME/CFS, suggesting a potential viral cause that could lead to treatments. Understanding why this study's findings could not be reproduced remains important for improving research standards and maintaining trust in ME/CFS science.
This retracted study does not establish that XMRV causes ME/CFS. The inability of numerous independent laboratories worldwide to replicate these findings, combined with evidence of technical problems and potential contamination in the original work, means the initial claims are not supported by the scientific community.
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
Lombardi, Vincent C, Ruscetti, Francis W, Das Gupta, Jaydip, Pfost, Max A, Hagen, Kathryn S, Peterson, Daniel L, et al. (2009). Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Science (New York, N.Y.). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1179052
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-lombardi-2009-retracted-detection,
author = {Lombardi, Vincent C and Ruscetti, Francis W and Das Gupta, Jaydip and Pfost, Max A and Hagen, Kathryn S and Peterson, Daniel L and Ruscetti, Sandra K and Bagni, Rachel K and Petrow-Sadowski, Cari and Gold, Bert and Dean, Michael and Silverman, Robert H and Mikovits, Judy A},
title = {Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1126/science.1179052},
note = {PubMed: 19815723},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/lombardi-2009-retracted-detection},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/lombardi-2009-retracted-detection
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