But the only reason to connect XMRV to M.E/CFS is because Lombardi et al say it is detectable in the blood of CFS patients.
Not really... There is also Alter and Lo... And now there is Hanson, De Meirlier, and Beiger.
Without that 'blood' evidence there is no reason to consider XMRV as being relevant to M.E/CFS any more than any other randomly selected micro-organism.
The virus might have an afinity to certain tissue types, and might replicate easily in these tissues, even if it is quickly cleared from the blood.
Certainly one can hypothesise how XMRV might 'cause' M.E/CFS and come up with convincing disease models - but why choose XMRV ?
Wanting XMRV to be fully investigated is not the same as 'choosing' XMRV.
This question is important because if Lipkin and the BWG do not provide support for XMRV in blood, then there will need to be some collective 'reflection' upon the XMRV saga if M.E/CFS communities are not be at the constant mercy of every research enthusiasm that follows, following every high and low with the commitment of a sports fan.
IVI, I think you misunderstand the science, otherwise you would not have these patronising and insulting opinions about the ME community.
You call it an 'XMRV saga', but I would call it an ongoing investigation into a scientific discovery.
I think that most ME patients are happy to watch XMRV research run its course.
Things only get heated when we perceive that certain establishment figures are trying to shut down the research for no valid scientific reason.
And even if XMRV proves not to be associated with ME, the WPI have still discovered an antibody biomarker.
That's an enormously interesting and significant discovery in itself.