No association of borna disease virus with psychiatric disorders among patients in northern Kyushu, Japan

There is controversy over the prevalence of Borna disease virus (BDV) antibodies and its RNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of psychiatric patients, and the contribution of BDV to human psychiatric disorders. We examined 299 plasma and 229 PBMC samples. No plasma samples were positive for BDV-p40, p24 or gp18 antibodies by western blot analysis. The prevalence of BDV RNA in the psychiatric (schizophrenic) patients (1.8%) was not significantly different from that in the healthy volunteers (0.6%). The nucleotide sequences of BDV p40 and p24 were highly conserved with those of BDV He/80. Our results suggested that there is a lack of association between BDV infection and psychiatric disorders among the patients in Northern Kyushu, Japan.     

No evidence of endemic Borna disease virus infection in Australian horses in contrast with endemic infection in other continents

Summary. Borna disease virus (BDV) is a unique RNA virus that is a cause of neurological disease in horses, sheep and cats. The finding that BDV also infects humans has raised concern related to the impact of infection with this virus. The extent to which BDV may be endemic in geographical regions outside Europe is of interest in management of international movement of animals including horses. Sera from Australian horses (N = 553) sampled in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), were analysed for BDV antigen, circulating immune complexes (CICs), and antibodies by monoclonal antibody-based ELISAs. One-tenth of the samples were investigated by further antibody tests, namely immunofluorescence (IFA) and a peptide ELISA, as well as for BDV RNA. The study revealed a very low frequency of serological markers that may be associated with exposure to BDV in Australian horses from NSW with a few sera (0.7%) displaying low range positive results in the CIC assay, and no detectable BDV RNA. This pattern is inconsistent with endemic BDV infection and strongly contrasts with the pattern of endemic infection, particularly in Europe.     

Serological evidence for Borna disease virus infection in humans, wild rodents and other vertebrates in Finland.

BACKGROUND: Borna disease virus (BDV) can infect many vertebrate species, including humans. BDV infection may lead to meningoencephalomyelitis in animals. An association with human neuropsychiatric diseases has been reported, but the causal relationship between BDV and human disease remains unclear. OBJECTIVES AND STUDY DESIGN: To find out whether BDV is present in Finland and to look for a potential reservoir, we examined a large panel of blood samples from different vertebrate species with immunofluorescence assay. Samples from horses, cats, dogs, sheep, cattle, large predators, grouse, wild rodents and humans were included. Most positive results were confirmed by other specific methods and in other laboratories. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: BDV-specific antibodies were detected in 10 horses, 2 cats, as well as 2 horses and 1 dog from farms housing a previously detected seropositive horse. Interestingly, BDV-specific antibodies were further detected in three wild rodents. In humans, BDV-specific antibodies were detected in a veterinarian and in two patients suspected to have a Puumala hantavirus infection. Our serological analysis suggests that BDV infects various vertebrates in Finland, including humans. Furthermore, our data indicate for the first time that BDV infects also wild rodents.     

Human infections with Borna disease virus: seroprevalence in patients with chronic diseases and healthy individuals.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is as yet an unclassified infectious agent which causes a neurologic disease in horses and sheep and is transmissible to other animal species. Human sera were tested for BDV-specific antibodies by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. The sera were collected from three thousand subjects in Europe, the USA, and Africa classified by clinical syndromes/infectious diseases, and from healthy controls. In all three continents, positive serum samples were detected which recognized the major BDV antigen of 38/40 KD present in the nuclei of infected cells. In contrast to 2% of seropositives among the normal population, significantly higher prevalences (13-14%) were present among patients with chronic progressive diseases of the brain and the immune system. In children, antibody frequencies were two to four times higher than in adults. The results suggest a latent infection with BDV in humans leading to low antigen expression in healthy subjects and frequent reactivation events in chronically ill patients.     

A reverse-type sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting antibodies to Borna disease virus.

To investigate whether there is an epidemiological correlation between Borna disease virus (BDV) infection and human neuropsychiatric diseases, we established a reverse-type sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (RS-ELISA) for detecting specific antibodies to BDV. In this assay, microplate wells were coated dispersely with BDV p40 antigen, followed by the addition of test samples at a low dilution and then the biotinylated p40. A preformed complex of streptavidin and horseradish peroxidase-conjugated biotin and an enzyme substrate were used to measure the captured biotinylated p40. Theoretically, RS-ELISA should specifically detect anti-BDV antibodies without nonspecific signals; such signals possibly occur in conventional serological assays. Additionally, the RS-ELISA could be applied under the same protocols to test samples from a variety of animals. By using anti-BDV rat and rabbit sera, the assay was standardized so that it had high specificity and sensitivity. When we used the RS-ELISA to determine the presence of anti-BDV antibodies in plasma from 70 patients with chronic schizophrenia as well as 40 healthy individuals in the Tokyo area of Japan, no plasma sample was found to possess specific antibodies to BDV p40, indicating no association between BDV infection and the disease in our testing population. A negative reaction was also shown for the sera that had previously been judged to be seropositive for BDV by an immunofluorescence or immunoblot test. These findings suggested that false-positive cases of infection due to nonspecific reactions may be included in previous seroepidemiological information with regard to BDV.     

Borna disease virus

Borna disease virus (BDV) is unique amongst animal RNA viruses in its molecular biology and capacity to cause persistent, noncytolytic CNS-infection in a wide variety of host species. Unlike other non-segmented negative-strand RNA animal viruses, BDV replicates in the nucleus of the host cell where splicing is employed for expression of a very compact genome. Epidemiological studies indicate a broad host range and geographical distribution, and some investigators have proposed that human infection may result in neuropsychiatric disorders. Experimental Borna disease in neonatal and adult rats provides an intriguing model for immune-mediated disturbances of brain development and function.     

Demonstration of Borna disease virus (BDV) in specific regions of the brain from horses positive for serum antibodies to BDV but negative for BDV RNA in the blood and internal organs

Sero- and molecular-epidemiological studies on Borna disease virus (BDV) infection show that BDV RNA is not always detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from serum anti-BDV antibody-positive individuals such as horses, sheep, cattle, cats, and humans. In this study we demonstrated BDV RNA signals by polymerase chain reaction only in restricted regions of the brain from horses with locomotor disease. Four of six horses examined showed apparently positive reactions for anti-BDV antibodies. Specific regions of the brain of these four horses were positive for BDV RNA but the internal organs, lymph nodes, and PBMCs were negative. Histological studies of their brains revealed no apparent histological abnormalities such as inflammatory reactions. These results suggest that BDV chronically infects certain restricted regions of brain in seropositive horses. Received: 6 January 1997     

Neurological diseases and viral dynamics in the brains of neonatally borna disease virus-infected gerbils

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a noncytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that causes a chronic neurological disease in a wide variety of animal species. To develop a better understanding of the correlation between neurological disorders caused by BDV infection and virus distribution in the brain, we investigated viral dynamics in the central nervous system (CNS) of neonatally BDV-infected gerbils during the late stage of infection. Despite the severe symptoms and aggressive proliferation of BDV in the infected gerbils, no apparent neuroanatomical abnormalities or neuronal cell loss was observed in the infected gerbil brain. Furthermore, no or only minimal infiltration was observed in the infected gerbil brain. By in situ hybridization and real-time PCR analyses, we demonstrated that the predominant area of expression of BDV mRNA, as well as the protein, was shifted in the brain in association with progression of disease. In nondiseased gerbils, the virus replication was predominantly detected in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the CNS. On the other hand, diseased animals showed a high level of expression in the lower brain stem and cerebellum, especially in Purkinje cell neurons. These observations suggested that significant replication of the virus in specific areas of the CNS is critical for development of the neurological disorders in BDV-infected neonatal gerbils.     

新疆伊犁地区动物脑组织博尔纳病病毒p24基因片段的检测

目的 了解新疆伊犁地区动物脑博尔纳病病毒(Borna disease virus,BDV)感染现状,分析该病毒的种系来源,预防我国BDV大规模暴发流行.方法 采用巢式逆转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(FQ-RT-PCR)的方法,对新疆地区200匹马、75头驴和100只牧羊犬脑组织标本进行BDVp24基因片段的检测.并对阳性标本进行BDV p40基因片段扩增电泳,同时排除GFP-p24和pMD-19质粒污染,最后克隆测序,进行基因同源性和氨基酸序列分析并分析BDV种系发生.结果 3例伊犁马、4例伊犁驴和9例牧羊犬的脑组织标本BDV p24检测阳性,阳性率分别为1.5%、5.3%、9.0%;BDV p40基因片段检测和质粒标准品GFP-p24、pMD-19检测均为阴性;BDV p24扩增产物序列与He/80株的同源性为100%.结论 新疆伊犁地区马、驴和狗可能存在BDV脑内的自然感染,该地区BDV流行株与He/80株存在同源性.     

Serologic prevalence of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale infections in broilers and broiler breeder chickens in Kermanshah Province,west of Iran

The presence of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) in poultry farms in several parts of Iran has been confirmed over the last few years. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of ORT antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in broiler and broiler breeder chickens in western parts of Iran. In a one-year period, from April 2009 to February 2010, a total of 435 blood samples were collected from 30 commercial chicken flocks (24 broiler flocks and six broiler breeder flocks) located in Kermanshah Province, west of Iran. None of the broilers and broiler breeders have been vaccinated against ORT prior to sampling. The province was divided into four geographical areas: southwest, southeast, northwest, and northeast. Flocks in each area, specifically the birds in each flock, were randomly sampled. The presence of antibodies against ORT in each serum sample was tested twice by ELISA using a commercial kit. The results revealed that 50.1 % broiler and 70.5 % broiler breeder chickens were serologically positive for ORT. Out of 347 serum samples obtained from broiler chickens, 174 (50.1 %) were positive for ORT antibodies, which represented 18 (75.0 %) of 24 examined broiler flocks. A higher rate of seropositivity (71.4 % of samples and 83.3 % of broiler flocks) was observed in the northwest. Out of 88 samples obtained from broiler breeder chickens, 62 (70.5 %) were positive for ORT antibodies, which belonged to six (100 %) of the examined broiler breeder flocks. Detection of anti-ORT antibodies among broiler breeders was significantly higher than that of broilers.     

用蛋白印迹试验检测精神分裂症患者血清中博尔纳病病毒-p24抗体的研究

目的：探讨博尔纳病病毒（BDV）感染在我国的流行情况及其与精神分裂症的相关性。方法：在对优化表达的GST－BDV－p24融合蛋白进行特异性鉴定的基础上，通过确定融合蛋白与第一抗体、第二抗体间的最佳反应条件，建立可行的检测BDV－p24特异抗体的蛋白印迹（Western-blot）方法，进而对黑龙江地区精神分裂症患者和正常人对照血清中BDV－p24特异性抗体进行了检测，并通过血清－GST蛋白吸收后W estern-blot实验对阳性血清进行了确认。结果：116例精神分裂症患者中检出BDV－p24阳性血清10例，阳性检出率为8.6%，而正常人血清标本中未检出阳性。结论：我国存在博尔纳病病毒的感染，博尔纳病病毒的感染可能与精神分裂症的发生有关。     

重庆地区动物携带Nipah病毒和Hendra病毒的检测

目的 本研究拟建立一步法实时RT-PCR检测Nipah病毒(Nipah virus,NiV)和Hen-dra病毒(Hendra virus,HeV)的方法 ,对采集自中国重庆地区动物外周血样本进行NiV和HeV检测,以获得我国重庆地区的NiV和HeV的病毒流行病学资料.方法 2007年6月起至2008年6月,采集自重庆地区饲养的猪外周血标本580份、奶牛外周血标本250份、山羊外周血标本180份,密度梯度离心法分离外周血淋巴细胞,Trizol法提取细胞总RNA.用已建立的NiV和HeV一步法实时RT-PCR检测方法 ,对RNA样本进行NiV和HeV检测.对阳性样本进行PCR产物序列鉴定及序列分析等研究,在可能的情况下进行病毒分离培养,并提交流行病学调查报告.结果 对采集自中国重庆地区饲养的3种动物的样本进行NiV和HeV核酸检测,成功进行了一步法实时RT-PCR反应,所有样本荧光扩增曲线均无Takeoff点,曲线平坦,判为阴性结果 .结论 初步流行病学研究提示我国重庆地区饲养的动物猪、牛、羊中NiV和HeV未发现阳性.     

Existence of feline morbillivirus infection in Japanese cat populations

Feline morbillivirus (FmoPV) is a member of a new virus species that has only been found in the Hong Kong cat population. For the first time, however, we have now detected nucleotide sequences similar to FmoPV in samples from Japanese cat populations. The positive rates for urine and blood samples from Japanese cats were 6.1 % (5/82) and 10 % (1/10), respectively. These sequences are similar to the previously reported FmoPV, with 92-94 % identity, and substantially different from all other morbilliviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified Japanese FmoPVs and other morbilliviruses demonstrated a pattern similar to those previously published for the FmoPV viruses isolated in Hong Kong. FmoPV RNA was also detected from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) kidney tissues of cats with nephritis, with a positive rate of 40 % (4/10). By using nested-set primers based on the FmoPV sequence and RNA from FFPE tissues, we demonstrated the existence of FmoPV infection in Japanese cats and established the method for detection of the FmoPV RNA from kidney tissues prepared for pathology examinations, which is useful for studies on the pathogenicity of the virus.     

Borna disease virus induces acute fatal neurological disorders in neonatal gerbils without virus- and immune-mediated cell destructions

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a noncytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that is known to cause neurological disturbances in various animal species. Our previous experiment demonstrated that neonate gerbils develop an acute fatal neurological disease following infection with BDV, Virology 282, 65-76). The study suggested that BDV directly causes functional damage of neuronal cells resulting in the lethal disorder in neonatal gerbils. To extend this finding, we examined whether BDV can induce neurological diseases in the absence of virus- and immune-mediated cell destruction, by using cyclosporine A (CsA)-treated neonatal gerbils. Although CsA completely suppressed specific antibody production and brain inflammation in the infected gerbil brains, the fatal neurological disorder was not inhibited by the treatment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CsA treatment significantly decreased brain levels of cytokines, except interleukin (IL)-1 beta, in the infected gerbils. These results suggested that BDV replication, as well as brain cytokines, at least IL-1 beta, rapidly induces fatal disturbances in gerbil brain. We demonstrate here that BDV exhibits a unique neuropathogenesis in neonatal gerbil that may be pathologically and immunologically different from those in two other established rodent models, rats and mice. With this novel rodent model of virus infection it should be possible not only to examine acute neurological disturbances without severe neuroanatomical and immunopathological alterations but also to analyze molecular and cellular damage by virus replication in the central nervous system.     

Borna disease virus infection in racing horses with behavioral and movement disorders

Summary.  Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic agent with capacity to infect and cause neurological disease in a broad range of warmblooded hosts including horses, sheep, cattle, cats, and possibly also humans. The epidemiology of BDV is largely unknown. However, it is likely that subclinically infected animals may represent potential virus reservoirs. In two groups of Swedish racing horses, one clinically healthy and one consisting of horses with diffuse neurological signs, the BDV seroprevalence was 24.5% and 57.7%, respectively. BDV RNA was detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 8 out of 28 (28.6%) investigated horses, the majority of the BDV RNA-positive horses belonging to the group with neurological signs. There was a close relationship between the Swedish equine BDV isolates and previously reported equine BDVs in Europe. Our results point to an association of BDV infection with atypical disease patterns in horses such as diffuse mental and gait disturbances. These findings may be of importance for the understanding of the epidemiology of BDV infections in animals and man. Accepted September 4, 1998 Received May 27, 1998     

Coronavirus genotype diversity and prevalence of infection in wild carnivores in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Knowledge of coronaviruses in wild carnivores is limited. This report describes coronavirus genetic diversity, species specificity and infection prevalence in three wild African carnivores. Coronavirus RNA was recovered from fresh feces from spotted hyena and silver-backed jackal, but not bat-eared fox. Analysis of sequences of membrane (M) and spike (S) gene fragments revealed strains in the genus Alphacoronavirus, including three distinct strains in hyenas and one distinct strain in a jackal. Coronavirus RNA prevalence was higher in feces from younger (17 %) than older (3 %) hyenas, highlighting the importance of young animals for coronavirus transmission in wild carnivores.     

中国慢性疲劳综合征患者血浆中BDV-p24抗体的检测

目的检测博尔纳病病毒(BDV)对中国慢性疲劳综合征(CFS)患者和健康对照者感染的情况,探讨CFS与BDV感染之间的相关性。方法按美国CDC 1994年标准,搜集来自全国十一省市的CFS患者61例和健康对照73例,使用蛋白印迹法(WB)对其血浆进行BDV-p24抗体检测。结果 病例组有7例为阳性结果(11.48％),对照组均为阴性(0％),统计学处理两组间差异有显著意义(P<0.010)。结论中国CFS患者存在BDV感染,病例组感染率明显高于对照组,CFS与BDV感染存在相关性。