Simple £13 test 'could be used to diagnose patients with ME'

A simple £13 test could be used to diagnose patients with Myalgic encephalopathy (ME), scientists believe, and potentially offer hopes of treatment for many.

The researchers believe that the condition, thought to affect around 250,000 people in Britain, is triggered by an overabundance of certain bacteria in the gut and a build-up of toxins in the body.

Myalgic encephalopathy (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, can leave sufferers bedridden for years.

Twice as common in women than men, it typically affects patients between the ages of 20 and 40 and common symptoms include severe fatigue, muscle pain, forgetfulness or trouble concentrating and difficulty sleeping.

Once dismissed as "yuppie flu" it has since been recognised as a disease by the Department of Health.

However, confusion has surrounded the cause of the condition, with some doctors believing its roots are viral or psychological.

Studies in Australia have shown that between 60 and 70 per cent of diagnosed patients suffer from large numbers of bacteria called enterococci and streptococchi in their gut.

Prof Kenny De Meirleir, from Vrije University, in Brussels, who created the new test, said that these bacteria ...