About 20% of the human genome is endogenous retroviruses. We've all got them, and there is significant evidence that they become more active in old age, and may be a factor in dementia and other illnesses.
Yes. Make a primer that matches the inside of the retrovirus, and another that matches the genome outside it in this particular location. Use them to do PCR on a sample of DNA. If you get a band, you have the retrovirus in that location.
