Demonstration of Borna disease virus RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from Japanese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
CFS, a recently named heterogeneous disorder, is an illness of unknown etiology. The association of CFS with viral infections has been suggested. A common association between CFS and several viruses examined has not been confirmed. Here, we centered on the possible link between CFS and BDV infection. By nested RT-PCR followed by hybridization, BDV RNA was demonstrated as a clear signal in PBMCs in 3 out of 25 CFS patients. The amplified cDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced. A total of 16 clones were studied. Intra-patients divergencies of the p24 were 2-9%, 3-20%, and 3-11% in the deduced amino acids. Inter-patient divergencies among the 16 clones were 3-24%. Antibodies to recombinant BDV p24 protein were detected in 6 CFS patients including one carrying BDV RNA. Overall, these gave the prevalence of 32% (8/25) in Japanese CFS patients, suggesting that Japanese CFS is highly associated with active infection of BDV, or a related agent.
Section of Serology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
T
T
Nakaya
H
H
Takahashi
Y
Y
Nakamura
S
S
Asahi
M
M
Tobiume
H
H
Kuratsune
T
T
Kitani
K
K
Yamanishi
K
K
Ikuta
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007564:Japan; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase