According to the researchers at the University of Dundee, children who suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) have abnormalities in their white blood cells and also develop some kind of infection.

For the study, blood samples of young children from the age group of 7 to 14, who had ME, were examined. They were found to have free radicals, that is, molecules that can harm cells, tissues, and other organs of the body.

The findings are in line with the earlier research, which indicates signs of infection in adults suffering from ME. The infection causes exhaustion and muscle weakness in these patients.

The leading researcher of the study, Dr. Gwen Kennedy said that oxidative stress can happen because of lesser intake of vitamins. The stress can also increase when white blood cells are constantly stimulated by an infection.

Experts believe that ME patients are not attended seriously and many physicians think that the symptoms, such as acute, chronic fatigue and muscle pain are their imagination.

Dr. Neil Abbot, from ME Research UK, says that there are no clear evidences for the cause of ME, but people suffering from this disease state that illness starts with an infection.

It is worth mentioning that as many as 120,000 to 240,000 people suffer from ME in the United Kingdom.