title: Electron microscopic immunocytological profiles in chronic fatigue syndrome.
abstract: Structures consistent in size, shape and character with various stages of a Lentivirus replicative cycle were observed by electron microscopy in 12-day peripheral-blood lymphocyte cultures from 10 of 17 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients and not in controls. Attempts to identify a lymphoid phenotype containing these structures by immunogold labelling failed and the results of reverse-transcriptase assay of culture supernatants were equivocal. The study was blind and case-controlled, patients being paired with age, sex and ethnically matched healthy volunteers. Prescreening of subjects included the common metabolic and immunological disorders, functional conditions and a virus-screen against hepatitis B and C, Epstein-Barr Virus, Cytomegalovirus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. mike.holmes@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Diack
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Easingwood
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carlisle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged