Nippon Rinsho. 1997 Nov;55(11):3064-71.

Demonstration on Borna disease virus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

[Article in Japanese]

Nakaya T, Kuratsune H, Kitani T, Ikuta K.

Section of Serology, Hokkaido University.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a recently named heterogeneous disorder, is an illness of unknown etiology. The association between CFS and several viral infection has been suggested. Here, we centered on the possible link between CFS and Borna disease virus (BDV) infection. BDV is a neurotropic, nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA virus. Recent epidemiological data have suggested that BDV may be closely associated with depression and schizophrenia in humans. In Japanese patients with CFS, the prevalence of BDV infection was 34% (30/89) and 12% (7/57) by immunoblotting and PCR analysis, respectively. Furthermore, anti-BDV antibodies and BDV RNA were detected in a family cluster with CFS. These results suggested that this virus contributes to or initiates CFS, although the single etiologic role of BDV is unlikely.

PMID: 9396313 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

FEBS Lett. 1996 Jan 8;378(2):145-9.

Demonstration of Borna disease virus RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from Japanese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nakaya T, Takahashi H, Nakamura Y, Asahi S, Tobiume M, Kuratsune H, Kitani T, Yamanishi K, Ikuta K.

Section of Serology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

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.

PMID: 8549821 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Scand J Rheumatol. 2000;29(6):387-90.

Search for Borna disease virus in Danish fibromyalgia patients.

Wittrup IH, Christensen LS, Jensen B, Danneskiold-Samsee B, Bliddal H, Wiik A.

Parker Research Institute, Dept. of Rheumatology, Frederiksberg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Irenewittrup@fh.hosp.dk

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to look for Borna disease virus (BDV) in 18 patients with acute onset of fibromyalgia (FMS) following a "flu-like" episode. BDV is a neurotropic RNA virus affecting horses and sheep. Infections in animals have been reported to cause immune mediated disease characterized by abnormalities in behavior. A possible link between BDV and neuropsychiatric diseases in man has been described, and lately a connection to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been suggested.

METHODS: A BDV-specific nested PCR (RT-PCR) was performed on serum and spinal fluid.

RESULTS: The BDV genome was not detected in any of the FMS cases. CONCLUSION: Although BDV was not demonstrated in spinal fluid or serum from the tested patients with FMS, we believe that it is important to report our results, since FMS can exhibit many manifestations in common with CFS. Possible reasons for the discrepant findings are discussed.

PMID: 11132208 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Source: http://www.neurotransmitter.net/bornavirus.html