[Value of MS associated factors for test procedures in multiple sclerosis: 1. Carp's MS associated agent in the serum].

The determination of multiple sclerosis-associated factors in serum is grounded on the conception that there exist virus-like particles with a special predicative value for diagnosis. A test system, elaborated by Carp, is basing on the reduction of neutrophilic granulocytes in peripheral blood of mice by a MS-associated agent (MSAA) of serum, cerebrospinal fluid, brain and other organs of MS-patients. Several groups and the present investigators did not always receive constantly positive findings in applying this method. The cause may be the variation of results characteristic for such biological test systems. As well as for some other methods discussed (e.g. the rosette test with measles-infected epithelial cells or the determination of anomalous cells in bone marrow of MS-patients) the procedure shows an only confined valence, not absolutely specific for the disease in the diagnostical relevant case.