Overview

• Researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics report a blood test using EpiSwitch 3D genomics to detect distinctive epigenetic patterns in ME/CFS.
• In a cohort of 47 severe, housebound patients and 61 healthy controls, the test showed 92% sensitivity and 98% specificity, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
• External scientists caution that unmatched age and sex, potential batch effects, and the absence of disease-control groups limit the findings and require independent replication.
• Authors say the signature implicates immune and inflammation pathways that could guide targeted therapies and they propose exploring similar diagnostics for long COVID.
• The test is not cleared for clinical use, could cost about £1,000 per patient, and Oxford BioDynamics co-authored and funded the study, underscoring calls for independent validation.