Borna disease virus (BDV) circulating immunocomplex positivity in addicted patients in the Czech Republic: a prospective cohort analysis

Abstract

BackgroundBorna disease virus (BDV) is an RNA virus belonging to the family Bornaviridae. Borna disease virus is a neurotropic virus that causes changes in mood, behaviour and cognition. BDV causes persistent infection of the central nervous system. Immune changes lead to activation of infection. Alcohol and drug dependence are associated with immune impairment.MethodsWe examined the seropositivity of BDV circulating immunocomplexes (CIC) in patients with alcohol and drug dependence and healthy individuals (blood donors). We examined 41 addicted patients for the presence of BDV CIC in the serum by ELISA at the beginning of detoxification, and after eight weeks of abstinence. This is the first such study performed in patients with alcohol and drug dependence.ResultsBDV CIC positivity was detected in 36.59% of addicted patients on day 0 and in 42.86% on day 56. The control group was 37.3% positive. However, we did not detect higher BDV CIC positivity in addicted patients in comparison with blood donors (p = 0.179). The significantly higher level of BDV CIC was associated with lower levels of GGT (gamma glutamyl transferase) (p = 0.027) and approached statistical significance with the lower age of addicted patients (p = 0.064). We did not find any association between BDV CIC positivity and other anamnestic and demographic characteristics.ConclusionsIn our study addicted patients did not have significantly higher levels of BDV CIC than the control group. The highest levels of BDV CIC were detected in patients with lower levels of GGT and a lower age.Trial registrationThis study was approved by the ethical committee of the University Hospital Medical Faculty of Charles University in Pilsen, Czech Republic (registration number 303/2001).

Primary psychosis and Borna disease virus infection in Lithuania: a case control study

“…The study not only confirmed the existence of BDV infection in Lithuania but interestingly found that the CIC prevalence in healthy Lithuanians ranged at the lowest level of 22.4 % so far reported from Europe, differing particularly from the high level of 37 % in another Eastern European country [40]. The result of one-fifth of healthy carriers did, however, support the concept that BDV is a moderate pathogen with a majority of sub-clinical infections [37].…”

“…Except the Czech Republic [40], no information on BDV prevalence exists in East European countries with regard of these sensitive test systems. How BDV infection is determined and whether or not the most sensitive systems are applied is of paradigmatic significance, because pathogenicity is reversely associated with infection prevalence of the pathogen [37].…”

Borna Disease Virus and Psychiatric Disorders: Can Viruses Influence Psychiatric Disorders?

“…The severity of depressive symptoms correlated with the concentration and duration of antigenaemia (Bode et al, 2001). In study reported by Rackova and colleagues, a significantly higher rate of BDV CIC positivity was found in psychiatric patients with a more severe psychopathology than in patients with a milder symptomatology, as measured by psychiatric scales (Rackova et al, 2009). …”

“…Only one study detected BDV positivity in addicted patients at the start of detoxification and at the end of treatment. Rackova and colleagues demonstrated BDV CIC positivity in 36.6% and 42.9% of patients with alcohol and drug abuse; the positivity of BDV infection was not significantly higher than in healthy individuals (Rackova et al, 2010). The rate of BDV positivity ranged from negative results to positivity in 42.9% (see Table 3).…”

“…The rate of BVD positivity in psychiatric patients ranged from negative to highly positive (almost 100% in patients with affective disorders). Several researchers found a significant association between BDV positivity (levels of BDV Ag and CIC) and severity of the psychopathology (Bode et al, 2001;Rackova et al, 2009) and between BDV seropositivity and negative symptoms in schizophrenia (Iwahashi et al, 1998;Waltrip et al, 1997). Borna disease infection is associated with a chronic course of the disease without full remission and with recurring psychiatric disorders.…”