1. Juan Enrique Maldonado Weng UPR-Cayey Review Paper
Borna Disease Virus plays a Significant Role in the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia
Abstract
The Borna Disease Virus (BDV) is a neurotropic virus which is believed to play a role in the
formation of schizophrenia in humans. This will be proven by analyzing traces of RNA or antibodies left by
the virus when infecting the host. These traces will link the virus to the condition. Investigations have proven
that most patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in specific regions, like Germany and Japan, have been
exposed to the virus. Factors like age when exposed do not affect the virus or the development of the mental
disorder. On the other hand, the geographical location is a factor due to the way the virus has spread
throughout the European continent. It is now considered endemic. The form in which the tests are conducted
also affects the results and must to be taken under consideration. Many investigations have been conducted
with the objective to understand the Borna Disease Virus and its possible roles in humans. Also, the
investigations try to clarify schizophrenia, which continually affects patients. The investigators attempt to
find the relationship between the virus and schizophrenia in order to discover a preemptive solution.
Introduction a virus may be a source of this mental
Schizophrenia is a destructive disorder. With that in mind, there is a
force on the human psyche, and possibility that viruses can be the origin
continues to elude many researchers. It is for many mental health issues, in
difficult to grasp a better understanding particular, schizophrenia. Through recent
of its origin. Schizophrenia can be findings, a virus known as the Borna
characterized by "…disturbances in the Disease Virus (BDV) may trigger the
harmonious fusion and co-ordination of development of schizophrenia for those
various elements and aspects of the infected with it.
personality... There is a tendency to the
development of disorganizing fantasy The Borna Disease Virus is a
states and to the autistic withdrawal of "mood virus", which is able to alter the
self with resulting deterioration of behavior of its host. (Planz, Pleschka and
habits" (Noyes and Kolb, 1998). Wolff, 2009) This field of study is still
Schizophrenia affects approximately one new and needs more research for people
percent of the United States population, to understand the virus and its many
(NIH, 1993) Many psychopathologists functions. In theory, the ability to
find it difficult to comprehend this change an infected person's conduct
rigorous condition. Many treatments are could also cause a person to confuse
offered to the patients diagnosed with fantasy with reality. Because of these
schizophrenia, yet no cure has been symptoms, it is believed that Borna
found. In order to find the proper Disease Virus plays a significant role in
treatment, researchers must find the root the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in
of the problem. humans. This report will search to
expand the reader’s knowledge of BDV
Many viruses can be the cause of with the goal to inform the scientific
diseases, disabilities, malformation, community about the dangerous and
abnormal cell growth, and other health remarkable capabilities of the virus .
problems. That is why it is believed that

2. amount of antibodies in the central
Development nervous system of a human patient, who
~The various procedures utilized for has been diagnosed as schizophrenic.
locating the presence of virus in the host Another test that has been utilized is the
There are various ways the "Western blot (immunoblot) assay".
presence of the BDV can be tested. If it Sauder et al.(1996) corroborate many
has been in the system of an organism, experiments previously done by utilizing
the immune system will send antibodies this test.
designed to combat the infection. Most
of these tests look for the presence of As new generations of
antibodies that have been fighting innovations arrive, a new method has
against the disease, because the been utilized and has been confirmed to
antibodies leave a trail behind them. be precise for this field of virology. The
These specific antibodies tend to appear precision is due to the sensitivity, for
when there has been exposure to the antibodies, that has allowed investigators
virus. Many of these experiments are to have more reliable results. Thakur
constantly improving; becoming more (2009) has also studied this type of
precise in the detection process. procedure. With all of these types of
procedures, many patients can be
Indirect Immunofluorescence effectively tested and be properly
assay (IFA) is a method that has been diagnosed. With a secondary purpose,
proven useful for testing the presence of these innovations are to help bring us
viruses, including BDV . Adamaszek new information on BDV's behavior.
et al. (2010), indicate that IFA tests the
Table 1- Comparison of Results from multiple Labs
Investigation team Location Year Patients Tests Results (Positivity Percentage)
Sauder et al. Germany 1996 Schizophrenic RT-PCR 63%
Adamaszek et al. Germany 2010 Schizophrenic IFA 54%
Rabakowski et al. Poland 1995 Psychiatric patients* ECLISA 2.00%
Kazunari et al. Japan 1999 Schizophrenic** ECLIA 3%
Kyoung-Sae et al. Korea 2009 Schizophrenic*** rRT-PCR 0%
Odebrechet et al. Brazil 2008 Schizophrenic RT-PCR 44%
Western
Iwahashi et al. Japan 1997 Schizophrenic blot 45%

3. The results presented by Sauder
et al.( 1996) were very insightful. In the
~Evidence provided from multiple investigation, 619 patients were tested.
investigations with similar goals Specifically 416 psychiatric patients and
Table 1 presents information from 203 healthy patients, were tested for
various investigations with their seropositivity and traces of RNA of
respective patients with schizophrenia BDV. Among the 416 psychiatric
and antibodies for BDV. patients, forty (40) patients were found
seropositive unlike the control group,
In terms of results, many of the which only had three cases of
investigations demonstrate there is a seropositivity. Of these seropositive
higher percentage of schizophrenic patients, eleven were diagnosed with
patients with BDV antibodies. This is schizophrenia. The procedure for the
important because many investigations RT-PCR found RNA strands in seven of
also included healthy patients that served the eleven schizophrenics. The patients
as a control for the experiment. These had traces of the RNA in their system in
healthy individuals had little to no comparison with the 203 healthy
antibodies in their systems. patients, who only had three cases. This
could mean that there may be other
Kyoung-Sae et al. (2009), might mental disorder caused by the virus. The
have been subjected to some faults in forty patients who were positive for the
their procedures or their interpretation of virus were diagnosed with other
data. In this laboratory, the investigators conditions like depression.
utilized a new method for testing BDV,
which has been said to be efficient and In the investigation conducted by
an improvement over others. This Adamaszek and his team, they
method, real-time Reverse Transcriptase recollected patient listings from 1985 to
Polymerase Chain Reaction, has not 2006, and antibody analysis was
been utilized for BDV before, so there is conducted on the patients participating.
a possibility that this procedure could From all the patients, forty-six of them
have unexpected results when reacting to were chosen because they were found to
the virus and its antibodies. be seropositive for traces of BDV. From
this group, the patients with advanced
Kazunari et al. (1999) and stages of schizophrenia had more traces
Rabakowski et al. (1995)., present low of antibodies than those in earlier stages.
numbers of seropositive mental patients.
This could be due to the fact that their Iwahashi et al. (1997) indicate,
procedures are faulty or their patient "There were no apparent associations of
listings were never exposed to the virus. BDV infection with age, age at onset,
The virus is rare in many locations. In period of hospitalization, accompanying
the investigation by Iwahashi et al. somatic diseases, a past history of
(1997), there is a presence of BDV in tuberculosis, a history of transfusion, a
Japan, as a possibility, the procedure is family history, or the doses of
faulty. psychotropic drugs. It is possible that, at
least, BDV infection in schizophrenic
patients may not be a nosocomial

4. (hospital-acquired) infection, although outbreak in Saxony, Germany, the virus
the route of BDV infection in humans has been affecting animals from central
remains unidentified." This was stated Europe. This virus has spread through
after observing the results and patient out the continent. The geographical
history. This statement helps establish factor could justify Kyoung-Sae's lack of
the relationship of BDV and BDV antibodies in patients, if the virus
schizophrenia because there are no other has not reached Korea. Kinnunen et al.
factors that are common between (2007) concluded "we have shown
patients. serologically that BDV or a closely
related virus exist in Finland."
Sandra Odebrechet et al. (2008),
collected subjects' personal history Conclusion
information like smoking habits and Many questions need clarification to
body mass index. These could be better understand the virus. More
important external factors.. The research can help better understand this
subjects were composed of 27 virus' behavior and, with larger amounts
schizophrenic and schizoaffective of test subjects, the effects of infection
patients, and 27 healthy volunteer can be better seen. Studies should be
controls. To obtain more data, the conducted to expand knowledge on the
investigators introduced family members connection between the symptoms of the
with and without mood disorders. As a neurotropic virus and the permanent
result, the percentage of BDV RNA was mental disorder. It is also important to
44% of the schizophrenic subjects, 50% know if schizophrenia can be avoided
of relatives without mental disorders, after infection. Improvements are also
and 37.5% for relatives with mood necessary to be made on the
disorders. methodology and procedure for better
results in future investigations.
Improvements are constantly
being made. For example, in Schlinder The Borna Disease Virus remains
(2007) a new form of diagnosing tool a mystery, but with current reports and
was tested utilizing reverse transcription, investigations the field is broadening.
real-time PCR with strands of RNA and There are constant improvements in the
stated "[they] should be useful for diagnoses of the virus. Researchers are
addressing questions in pathogenesis and constantly searching to help patients and
for detecting BDV reservoirs in endemic to find preemptive methods to avoid
areas" infections from BDV. To reach that
objective, the virus must be understood.
~Geography playing a role in the
behavior of BDV Iwahashi et al. (1997) indicate
It is also important to note the that the virus has a mysterious behavior
geographical aspect to the experiments because, the infection has no consistent
due to the fact that all of the source. But from this, there is a link
investigations were not conducted in the between the condition and virus seen
same region. This could mean that there through patient history. With Sauder et
is a possibility that the virus only affects al (1996)., the number of patients that
those in a particular region. Since the were schizophrenic with BDV antibodies

5. is higher than the number of healthy Takahashi H, Ikuta K. 1997. Clinical
patients also with antibodies. investigation of the relationship between
Adamaszek et al (2010) also help Borna disease virus (BDV) infection and
establish the relationship between BDV schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand
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