Revolutionary blood test for the early detection of multiple sclerosis!

Revolutionary blood test for the early detection of multiple sclerosis!

A research team of the MedUni Vienna has developed an innovative blood test to recognize the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) early. This test is able to identify the risk for MS years before the first symptoms occur. The main goal of this development is to enable early diagnostic and therapeutic measures that can delay or even prevent the outbreak of the disease. With this progress, the scientists hope to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of the chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. The results of this promising study were published in the renowned journal "Nature Communications", as reported.

The developed test focuses on the identification of specific antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is considered a central factor in the development of MS. It has been proven that almost all MS cases are associated with an EBV infection. The test specifically recognizes autoantibodies against Ebna-1, a protein of the EBV. These antibodies appear within three years of an EBV infection long before clinical symptoms of MS become visible. A repeated measurement of antibody mirrors can provide information about an increased risk of later MS diagnosis. The study is based on comprehensive blood samples of over 700 MS patients: inside and more than 5000 control persons.

risk factors and mechanisms

Research shows that high antibody mirrors correlate with an increased risk and faster development of MS. Interestingly, almost 90-95% of people worldwide infect EBV in the course of their lives, whereby the infection often remains unnoticed or occurring as infectious mononucleosis. Such a story of infectious mononucleosis significantly increases the risk of MS and indicates that misconception of the immune system is regarded as a possible cause that can lead to MS. These relationships have been known for over 40 years, and although the exact mechanisms of how EBV can trigger the disease are not yet fully understood, studies show that over 99% of MS patients are EBV-positive, compared to approximately 95% of the general population, so PMC.

In addition, it is assumed that genetic factors and environmental conditions, such as obesity and EBV seropositivity, can significantly increase the risk of developing MS. As described in a current review, the interaction between genetic predispositions and infections represents an important field of research. Changed immune reactions to EBV in MS patients, including increased antibodyants against EBV nuclear antigens (EBNA), are being increased. The authors of pubmed.

future prospects

The newly developed test could enable a difficult and costly screening of population groups with an increased MS risk, in particular those that have gone through infectious mononucleosis. The abnormalities in the antibody mirrors could not only serve to identify high -risk opera, but also as the basis for future therapeutic approaches. However, it is clear that further studies are necessary before this test can be established in clinical application.