By Diagnostics World News
June 5, 2025 | PrecisionLife's new diagnostic approach is addressing a critical gap in complex chronic disease detection by targeting two genetically related conditions that share remarkable similarities. Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are not just clinically similar—they're genetically connected, with researchers identifying nine genes common to both disease populations. This genetic overlap helps explain why the conditions share many of the same debilitating symptoms and why both have been historically difficult to diagnose and treat.
The Genetic Connection Revealed
Scientists at PrecisionLife first identified 14 genes associated with ME/CFS and 73 linked to long COVID before discovering their genetic relationship. When they examined an independent, more diverse population through the National Institutes of Health's All of Us dataset, seven of the nine shared genes were successfully reproduced, confirming the biological connection between these conditions. This genetic validation represents a watershed moment for understanding diseases that affect hundreds of millions worldwide, with long COVID alone impacting about 400 million patients and carrying an annual economic burden equivalent to one percent of the global economy.
PrecisionLife’s "Mechanostics" tests represent a fundamental shift from traditional single-gene analysis to comprehensive genetic profiling. These diagnostic tools analyze 199 unique single nucleotide polymorphisms to identify the specific mechanisms driving disease in individual patients. Remarkably, the ME/CFS Mechanostic test demonstrates predictive accuracy comparable to BRCA mutations for breast cancer, achieving odds ratios of 4.5 versus BRCA's 5-7.5 range. This represents an unprecedented level of genetic predictive power for a disease that previously had no established genetic associations.
Unlike traditional diagnostic approaches that rely on symptom checklists and exclusion of other conditions, Mechanostics tests provide individualized disease signatures that predict specific symptom patterns patients are most likely to experience, risk levels for developing ME/CFS or long COVID, and the underlying biological mechanisms driving their particular condition. This personalized approach addresses the significant heterogeneity in these conditions, where the same disease can manifest very differently across patients and where treatments that work for some prove ineffective for others.
The diagnostic tests are designed for real-world clinical adoption through home-based collection using simple buccal cheek swab samples that eliminate the need for clinical visits. Steve Gardner, PrecisionLife's CEO, emphasizes that genotyping is already a well-established practice, making the technology readily scalable across healthcare systems. The tests leverage existing laboratory infrastructure while being designed for cost-effective deployment, with rapid processing that provides actionable insights for immediate clinical decision-making.
Addressing Long-Standing Diagnostic Challenges
The new approach directly tackles persistent problems in ME/CFS and long COVID care that have frustrated patients and clinicians alike. These conditions often involve invisible symptoms that can be dismissed as psychological, leading to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment approaches. The Mechanostics tests provide objective, measurable biomarkers that offer scientific credibility for patient communities seeking medical recognition while enabling early identification before full symptom development occurs.