Research by Garth Nicolson and colleagues at the Institute for Molecular Medicine in California (US) found that:

• 71% of the people with M.E. (myalgic encephalomyelitis, also sometimes misleadingly called 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome') had a chronic infection compared to 12% of the control group

• the majority of the people with M.E. studied had at least two chronic systemic bacterial or viral 'co-infections'. None of control group had a co-infection

• the infections tended to be one of the mycoplasma family (Chlamydia pneumoniae) or Human Herpes Virus-6

Ed.- A separate study by Jo Nijs and colleagues at Vrije Universiteit’s Department of Human Physiology in Brussels (Belgium) confirmed the high prevalence of mycoplasma infection and demonstrated that this had disrupted the individuals’ antiviral immune defences.

See also B complex vitamins for M.E.

The UK Department of Health (DoH) finally accepted that myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, was "a genuine condition (causing) profound, often prolonged illness and disability (in) real people". Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson told GPs lacking sufficient knowledge about the illness to refer patients on to specialists.

Many think that M.E. is only an adult disease. In fact there are an estimated 25,000 children with M.E. in the UK. The severity of the disease ranges from simply being tired all the time or easily exhausted, to being unable to sit up, tolerate light or consume solids. M.E. can last from six months to decades. According to retired consultant Dr. Alan Franklin, at least 50% of long term absences from school were because of M.E.

For more information contact: Action for M.E., Third Floor, Canningford House, 38 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6BY
Tel: 0845 123 2380 or 0117 9279551
Fax: 0117 9279552 Email: admin@afme.org.uk
website: www.afme.org.uk

For more on M.E. in children see M.E. in school.