British scientists have not been successful in finding the link that connects a new kind of retrovirus and chronic fatigue syndrome in a study which contradicts earlier findings by American researchers claiming that they have found a possible viral cause of the debilitating condition.

Scientists from the Imperial and King’s Universities in London have made several attempts to recreate work carried out in the United Stateswhich was published in the journal Science last year.

However, they have not been successful in doing so and discovered that not even one person out of the 186 patients involved in their study had a trace of the novel virus. This virus is called XMRV.

The theory increased the hopes of many a people around the globe last year. Figures suggest that very 1,000 people include at-least 3 who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, officially called as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). It is a condition which is described by one of the authors of the paper to be serious and extremely frustrating for those who are ignorant about its cause.

The study published in the journal Science has resulted in many people going to the doctors for tests and antiretroviral drugs.