Scientists may have discovered the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome - the mysterious condition that affects 250,000 Britons.


They have found a strong link between the illness, sometimes known as ME or myalgic encephalomyelitis, and a virus connected to prostate cancer.

It is too soon to say if the virus causes ME but researchers say it is a strong contender.

Symptoms of ME, nicknamed 'yuppie flu' in the 1980s, include debilitating tiredness and painful limbs.
The study, published in the journal Science, found the virus, XMRV, in the blood of 68 out of 101 ME patients.
In contrast, just eight out of 218 healthy people had the virus.

In a second, unpublished study, the same team found 95 per cent of ME patients had antibodies to the virus, showing they have been infected with XMRV.
Researcher Dr Judy Mikovits, of Whittemore Peterson Institute in Nevada, said: 'With those numbers, I would say, yes, we've found the cause.'

It raises the prospect that antiviral medicines could be used to treat ME.

Tony Britton, of the ME Association, said: 'This doesn't conclusively prove a link.'