Chronic fatigue syndrome could be linked to a stomach virus, according to research published today.

Doctors have never been able to pinpoint a definitive cause for the condition, also known as ME. However, an examination of stomach tissue from sufferers found evidence of viral particles.

There are thought to be 150,000 patients with CFS in the UK. Sufferers experience long-term tiredness that is not relieved by rest or sleep.

They are often troubled by gut problems as well, including irritable bowel syndrome.

Researchers in California examined stomach tissue from 165 CFS patients and compared it to specimens from healthy people and people with gut diseases but not ME.

As reported in the Journal of Clinical Pathology today, more than 80% of the samples taken from ME patients tested positive for enteroviral particles, but just seven positive results from the 34 healthy specimens.