Evidence pointing to a virus as possible cause of childhood ME

The University of Dundee research found abnormalities in the white blood cells of children with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis which suggested they had been fighting off an infection.

A total of 25 young people with ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome, from across the UK aged between 10 to 18 were assessed with 23 youngsters of a similar age in a control group.

The study took place over 18 months and was funded by ME Research UK and The Young ME Sufferers’ Trust. The findings were published in the journal Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Dr Gwen Kennedy, who led the team at the University of Dundee, said: “These results are of great importance; not only do they show an underlying, detectable defect in the behaviour of the children’s immune cells, they also confirm our previous findings in adults.”

Professor Jill Belch, head of the unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where the study was undertaken, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme yesterday: “The findings that we have shown are those that are commonly seen when somebody has a virus or an infection.

“For example, if you have a virus or bacteria your white blood cell will swallow the particle and then release chemicals to kill it.

“What we found was an increased amount of these killer chemicals and the white blood cells don’t last as long, which is a sign that they’ve been very active. So this is a definite physical sign of ill-health.

“We actually started with adults and did find these results. At the clinic there have been so many distressing cases that we decided to carry out the work in children and we found the same abnormalities.”

Speaking about why there had been scepticism in the medical profession that it would be a virus, she said: “I think because there has been no physical abnormality to find. It is very difficult if somebody goes in, they are very fatigued but they really have no other physical signs.

“Once you are socially isolated... you become depressed and therefore it does look to some doctors as if it is a psychological disease.”