Abstract

BARRANTES-RODRIGUEZ, Xinia; SILVA-DE LA FUENTE, Sandra; BONILLA-VARGAS, José A  and  PUERTO, Fernando I. Bornavirus y enfermedades neuropsiquiátricas. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2006, vol.48, n.3, pp.108-112. ISSN 0001-6002.

The disease caused by Borna Disease Virus (BDV), known as fatal encephalitis, has been diagnosed in horses and sheeps en Central Europe for over a century. Infected animals show changes in the behaviour such as anxiety, separation of the herd, and hyperactivity. This signs can be found in humans with psychiatric syndromes like bipolar disease, depression, schizophrenia, or idiopathic diseases. The manifestations in infected animals are due to the immune response against the infected cells in the central nervous system. Since 1980, serological evidence of BDV infection has been reported in humans and many suggested an association of specific antibodies or viral particles with psychiatric manifestations. Because most of the studies have been done in developed countries where epidemiological manifestations are different to those observed in tropical developing countries, it is necessary to do rigorous analysis to corroborate or refute the effect of BDV in some mental diseases.

Keywords : Borna Disease Virus; schizophrenia; bipolar disease; BDV.