MORE than 30 years of research is coming to fruition for Associate Professor Bob Cook from Murdoch’s Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, having isolated a virus which could cause multiple sclerosis (MS).

MS is a chronic disease affecting about 12,000 Australians and around 2 million people worldwide. Data from the United States and Germany suggest that these figures are conservative estimates, with up to 25 per cent of cases remaining undiagnosed.

Researchers have generally agreed that there seems to be a genetic susceptibility to the disease and this appears to be triggered by a period of prolonged stress for over a year, which could depress the immune system.

However there has been some controversy about the cause of the disease.

“Most people believe that MS is an autoimmune disease in which activated lymphocytes (white blood cells) attack the insulating layer (myelin) around nerves,” said Professor Cook.

“Research on the autoimmune aspect has been undertaken for more than 45 years, providing a large amount of information about the immune response in the brain, but has not helped to find the cause of MS.”

According to Professor Cook, more emphasis has been placed on viral causes of the disease in recent years.

Other researchers are looking at herpes-type viruses and retroviruses (like AIDS) but so far results have been inconclusive.

“Our research has been slightly different,” he said.

“We are examining recognised common features found in the damaged area of MS brains, and have found that they are viral proteins rather than just myelin debris.

“This has led to the consistent isolation of a previously unknown virus from MS brain tissue.”

Professor Cook explained that it took some time to find ways to grow the virus rapidly, but now it can be grown in 9-10 days instead of seven weeks.

Though it is still early, Professor Cook said that experiments are indicating the virus is closely related to measles.

“We now need to complete the genetic sequence of the virus so we can use a small part as a substrate in a commercial test kit,” he said.

“Preliminary crude diagnostic tests have shown that blood of MS patients consistently contains antibodies to the virus and these antibodies can be detected.

“We are close to developing a diagnostic serological test kit for MS. Diagnosis of the disease can currently take 2 or more years but this test will take just 2-3 days.

“In the long term we are hoping to develop a specific treatment for MS, and eventually, a vaccine.”

The intellectual property generated by Professor Cook’s research is owned by MS Biotechnology.

Exodus Mineral Limited has reached agreement with Perth based CapTel Biotechnology to secure its rights in MS Biotechnology and the option to acquire future biotechnology opportunities presented to CapTel.