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First proposed blood test for chronic fatigue syndrome: what scientists think

A blood test has achieved 96% accuracy in diagnosing the condition in a small study of individuals. What does the test detect, and is it a biomarker of the condition?
By
  1. David Adam

    1. David Adam is a writer in Hertford, near London.

Researchers who are seeking ways to diagnose a mysterious illness called chronic fatigue syndrome might have a new weapon in their armoury. In a study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine on 8 October1, scientists in the United Kingdom say they have found a way to distinguish epigenetic changes in the cells of people who have the condition, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis.

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Nature 646, 783 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03299-8

References

  1. Hunter, E. et al. J. Transl. Med. 23, 1048 (2025).

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  2. Vardaman, M. & Gilmour, S. J. Transl. Med. 23, 331 (2025).

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  3. Carini, C. et al. J. Transl. Med. 16, 18 (2018).

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