Working with a team of researchers, Dr Hugh Dunstan and Professor Tim Roberts from the Unversity of Newcastle's Department of Biological Sciences have, for the first time, isolated a chemical marker in the urine of sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. These symptoms include generalised fatigue, muscle fatigue, muscle weakness, nausea, fever, dizziness and swollen lymph glands. The more prevelant the marker, the greater the symptoms. The incidence of CFS or related fatigue disorders is wide spread. Studies in the US have shown that 27 percent of the population reporting to a doctor had a debilitating fatigue phenomenon affecting their daily lives.
Many people remain undiagnosed out of fear of being told they have a psychological disorder.
The difficulty associated with diagnosing the disease has resulted in confusion among patients and a huge cost to the health care system. Isolation and definition of the chemical marker and a simple urine analysis developed by the researchers will prevent incorrect diagnosis and save time and money. I've just heard from a friend who lives in Australia. She says that this is the Australian equivalent of something appearing on the front page of The New York Times . According to the articles, the work is someone's doctoral dissertation, which may, as my friend pointed out, explain why it has not been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.