High prevalence of Borna disease virus in domestic cats with neurological disorders in Japan

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 1999-12, Vol.70 (3), p.153-169
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Yurie, Watanabe, Makiko, Kamitani, Wataru, Taniyama, Hiroyuki, Nakaya, Takaaki, Nishimura, Yoshiaki, Tsujimoto, Hajime, Machida, Seiichi, Ikuta, Kazuyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Borna Disease - epidemiology; Borna Disease - virology; Borna disease virus; Brain - virology; Cat; Cat Diseases - epidemiology; Cat Diseases - virology; Cats; Epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Japan; Japan - epidemiology; Microbiology; Nervous System Diseases - epidemiology; Nervous System Diseases - veterinary; Nervous System Diseases - virology; Neurologic disorder; Olfactory Bulb - virology; Prevalence; Staggering disease; Virology
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1135(99)00135-2

A total of 15 (T-1–T-15) domestic cats with neurological disorders in Tokyo area were examined for association with Borna disease virus (BDV). None had detectable antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus and Toxoplasma gondii, and only cat T-8 had detectable antibody to FIV. Serological and molecular epidemiological studies revealed a significantly high prevalence of BDV infection in these cats: antibodies against BDV p24 and/or p40 proteins in 10/15 (66.7%) and p24 and/or p40 RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 8/15 (53.3%). Further, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry analyses of the autopsied brain samples derived from one of the cats (T-15) revealed BDV RNA predominantly in neuronal cells in restricted regions, such as olfactory bulb and medulla of cerebrum. Thus, BDV is present in Japanese domestic cats with neurological disorders at a high prevalence.