For years, people living with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, have struggled to confirm whether they actually have the condition or to recognise its full range of symptoms. Diagnosis has largely depended on ruling out other illnesses such as thyroid problems, anaemia, or depression. As a result, patients have often faced years of uncertainty or received incorrect diagnoses. Now, in a promising scientific development, researchers have identified a blood test that may detect chronic fatigue syndrome with an accuracy rate of 96%.What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also referred to as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), is a long-term, multifaceted illness that leaves sufferers drained of energy in ways that ordinary rest cannot fix. According to the National Institutes of Health, this fatigue deepens after even light physical or mental effort—a hallmark called post-exertional malaise. Many cases worsen because the illness remains unrecognised for years. Gaps in medical training, limited awareness, and confusion about how to identify and manage the disease have all contributed to poor outcomes for patients.Chronic Fatigue Syndrome SymptomsThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists several key symptoms of ME/CFS. These include severe tiredness that does not ease with rest, exhaustion after any activity (post-exertional malaise), unrefreshing sleep, pain in muscles or joints, headaches, and problems with memory or concentration. Other frequently reported signs are a persistent sore throat, tender lymph nodes, and feeling faint or dizzy when standing.Additional symptoms that can appear include:Flu-like sensations, fever, or chillsMood changes such as anxiety, irritability, or depressionDigestive problemsSensitivity to food, smells, or chemicalsRapid or irregular heartbeatBreakthrough Blood Test Can Now Detect Chronic Fatigue SyndromeA group of researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) working with Oxford BioDynamics believe they have overcome one of the biggest hurdles in diagnosing ME/CFS. Their goal was to create a dependable blood-based test capable of identifying consistent biological differences between people with ME/CFS and those without it. To do this, they turned to EpiSwitch 3D Genomics, a technology that studies how DNA folds inside cells. The way DNA loops or folds affects which genes are active, even when the genetic sequence itself remains unchanged.The study examined blood samples from 47 people with severe ME/CFS and 61 healthy participants. Researchers looked for distinct DNA “folding signatures” that appeared consistently in patients but not in healthy controls. Their findings showed that the test could identify ME/CFS with about 96% accuracy, though individual reports of this figure vary slightly.If future research confirms these results, this could represent a turning point in how the illness is recognised and treated. A reliable biomarker could help patients receive earlier diagnoses and enable scientists to design better therapies. However, experts urge caution. Independent testing across larger and more diverse groups is crucial before it becomes part of clinical practice.The discovery is an encouraging advance, but it is still early. For now, the EpiSwitch blood test stands as a hopeful sign, one that brings ME/CFS research closer to validation, but not yet to medical routine.
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