XMRV: Not in spooge [erv]

Lack of Detection of XMRV in Seminal Plasma from HIV-1 Infected Men in The NetherlandsThese folks looked in the semen of HIV-1(+) men for XMRV-- because of XMRVs association with prostate cancer, and retroviruses as STDs, and because HIV+ people are more susceptible to infections than HIV- people.

29 homosexual men (not on any antiretrovirals), 25 heterosexual men (most, not all on antiretrovirals)-- no XMRV in 93 semen samples. Even though some of the men were on antiretrovirals, the number shouldnt have been zero. They had a built in control: HIV-1. HIV-1 was found in most of the homosexual mens semen (not on any antiretrovirals) and few of the homosexual men (result of most of them being on antiretrovirals). And, there is currently no evidence any currently approved antiretroviral used for HIV-1 treatment has any effect on XMRV 'infected' persons, much less the specific drugs that these men were taking.

But why didnt these scientists look for XMRV in PBMC or blood or something else too? I mean, why did the scientists even assume that any of these people were XMRV positive?

Well, we have no diagnostic test for XMRV. Its not in the blood of 'infected' humans. 'Infected' humans do not reliably have antibodies to X...