Detection and analysis of Borna disease virus in Chinese patients with neurological disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic RNA virus that is known to cause neurological disturbances in various animal species, potentially even humans. However, the association between BDV infection and human neurological disorders remains unclear.


METHODS
Between August 2005 and March 2006, 65 patients with neurological disorders were enrolled into our study. The presence of BDV p24 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated by using nested reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assay.


RESULTS
Borna disease virus p24 RNA was detected from PBMCs in six patients with viral encephalitis by using nested RT-PCR assay. However, BDV p24 RNA was not detected in patients with multiple sclerosis or peripheral nerve diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
There might be possible associations between BDV infection and human viral encephalitis.
Li
Q
Q
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Wang
Z
Z
Zhu
D
D
Xu
M
M
Chen
X
X
Peng
D
D
Iwata
Y
Y
Xie
P
P
D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002681:China; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000821:virology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000097:blood
D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C084757:p24 protein, Borna disease virus