Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Mosquito-Associated Virus Isolation from Field-Collected Mosquitoes
Published on: August 31, 2022
GB virus-C--a virus without a disease: we cannot give it chronic fatigue syndrome
James F Jones1, Prasad S Kulkarni, Salvatore T Butera
1Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. jaj9@cdc.gov
Background:
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness in search of an infectious etiology. GB virus-C (GBV-C) virus is a flavivirus with cell tropism and host defense induction qualities compatible with a role in producing the syndrome. The GBV-C genome is detectable in 4% of the population and 12% of the population is seropositive. The present study evaluated the association between infection with GBV and CFS.
Methods:
We used a commercial EIA to detect antibodies against the GBV-C E2 protein and a quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay to detect active GBV-C infection. Sera were from a case control study of CFS in Atlanta, Georgia. The Fisher's exact two-tailed test was used for statistical analysis.
Results:
Two of 12 CFS patients and one of 21 controls were seropositive for prior GBV-C infection and one control had viral RNA detected, indicating active infection. The results are not statistically different.
Conclusion:
We found no evidence that active or past infection with GBV is associated with CFS.
Related Concept Videos
Cytomegalovirus Disease
Hepatitis
Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction
Subviral Agents
Viral Meningitis
Poliomyelitis
