title: Borna disease virus and mental health: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Borna disease is an infectious neurological disease of horses, sheep and possibly other animals. A role for Borna disease virus (BDV) in human neurological and psychiatric illness has been proposed, but this hypothesis remains controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the epidemiology of BDV in UK farming communities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the seroprevalence of BDV in the PHLS Farm Cohort, a representative sample of those employed in agriculture in the UK, and investigated the clinical significance of our findings by comparing the prevalence of symptoms of neurotic psychopathology in those found seropositive and seronegative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seroprevalence was 2.3% (95%CI 1.3- 4.0%) in 1994, 3.1% in 1996 (95%CI 1.9-5.0%) and 2.6% in 1999 (95%CI 1.5%-4.6%). Those living or working on livestock farms had higher seroprevalence (2.6%) than those on mixed (2.3%) or arable (1.6%) farms, but this was not statistically significant. Exposure to horses, sheep and cats did not increase risk of seropositivity. Seropositives were no more likely to report symptoms of psychiatric morbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UK farming populations appear to be exposed to Borna disease virus. However, we found no evidence that exposure to BDV was associated with morbidity in this healthy occupational cohort.
authors.affiliation: NPHS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Abton House, Wedal Road, Cardiff CF14 3QX, UK. daniel.thomas@nphs.wales.nhs.uk
authors.forename: D Rh
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crook
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stagg
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Caul
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morgan-Capner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sillist
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kench
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meadows
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Softley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral