1. Borna Disease Virus plays a Significant Role in the
Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia in Humans
Juan Enrique Maldonado Weng
RISE Research Experience
UPR- Cayey

2. Objectives
• Inform about the dangerous
capabilities of the Borna
Disease Virus
• Expand the current field of
study of this virus and its link
with other disorders

3. What is the Borna Disease Virus?
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/papilloma/2
004goglincarnevale/Papilloma/Pathogens2.htm
• BDV is a "mood
virus", which is able
to alter the behavior
of its host
• Is capable of affecting
humans causing
disorders such as
depression

4. Schizophrenia
• “Disturbances in the harmonious fusion and
coordination of various elements and aspects
of the personality.” (Noyes and Kolb, 1998)
http://unveiledarts.com/disruption-of-brain-development-to-cause-a-
subtype-of-schizophrenia/

5. How to prove it?
• Collect the various results
published and reviewed
• Compare the various
procedures
• Present Relationship between
BDV and Schizophrenia

6. Proving the Existence
Procedures Utilized by Others:
• IFA (Indirect Immunofluorescence
assay)
• RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase
Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Western blot

7. Evidence
• Sauder et al. and their
investigation (1996) :
–From 416 mental patients,40
were positive for the virus
• From eleven schizophrenics,
seven patients had RNA strands

8. Evidence
• Investigation conducted by
Adamaszek and his team (2010) :
– Subjects from 1985 to 2006, forty-six
of them chosen because they were
found to be seropositive for traces of
BDV (54%)
– The subjects with advanced stages of
schizophrenia had more traces of
antibodies

9. Evidence
• Iwahashi et al., in their investigation
(1997) :
–No apparent associations of BDV
infection with:
• Age
• Period of hospitalization
• Family history
• Doses of psychotropic drugs.

10. Evidence
Table 1- Comparison of Results from multiple Lab
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%
Iwahashi et al. Japan 1997 Schizophrenic
Western
blot 45%

11. Conclusion
• More studies are needed in order to
arrive at a definitive conclusion
• New insights can be made with the
help of improvements to the
procedures and the forms of
diagnoses
• Geography plays a role in rate of
infection

12. Conclusion
• BDV remains a “mystery”, but with
current reports and investigations, the
answer is reaching closer
• The behavior of this virus may lead to
new forms of interaction between
human and virus
• Rate of Schizophrenia and other
mental disorders can be lowered

13. References
Adamaszek M, Heinrich A. 2010. Anti-Borna Disease virus antibody responses in psychiatric
patients: Long-term follow up. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences [Internet]; [Cited 2012
October 12]. DOI:10.1111/j.1440-1819.2010.02073.x:64:255–261 Available at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-1819.2010.02073.x/pdf
Iwahashi K, Watanabe M, Nakamura K, Suwaki H, Nakaya T, Nakamura Y, Takahashi H,
Ikuta K. 1997. Clinical investigation of the relationship between Borna disease virus (BDV)
infection and schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand [Internet]; [Cited 2012 November 20].
ISSN 0001-690X :96:412-415. Available at: http://cvi.asm.org/content/6/5/696#ref-list-1
Na K, Tae S, Song J and Kim Y. 2009. Failure to Detect Borna Disease Virus Antibody and
RNA from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Psychiatric Patients. Official Journal of
Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, [Internet]; [Cited 2012 November 22]. DOI 10.4306/pi.
6:306-312 Available at: http://synapse.koreamed.org/Synapse/Data/PDFData/0162PI/pi-6-
306.pdf
Sauder C, Mu¨ ller A, Cubitt B, Mayer J, Steinmetz J, Trabert W, Ziegler B, Wanke K,
Mueller-Lantzsch K, Carlos de la Torre J, and Gra¨sser A. 1996. Detection of Borna Disease
Virus (BDV) Antibodies and BDV RNA in Psychiatric Patients: Evidence for High Sequence
Conservation of Human Blood-Derived BDV RNA. Journal of Virology, [Internet]; [Cited 2012
October 19]. DOI: 0022-538X/96 70: 7713–7724 Available at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC190841/

14. References
Yamaguchi K., Sawada T., Naraki T., Igata-Yi R., Shiraki H., Horii Y., Ishii T., Ikeda K,
Asou N, Okabe H., Mochizuki M., Takahashi K., Yamada S., Kubo K., Yashiki S.,
Waltrip II R., and Carbone K. 1999. Clinical investigation of the relationship between
Borna disease virus (BDV) infection and schizophrenia in 67 patients & in Japan. Clinical
and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology [Internet]; [Cited 2012 November 22] 6:696-700
Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10473520
Thakur R, Sarma S, and Sharma B. 2009. Role of Borna disease virus in
neuropsychiatric illnesses. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology [Internet]; [Cited 2012
November 22] DOI:10.4103/0255-0857.53200 2009:27: 191-201 Available at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19584498
Planz O., Stephan Pleschka O., and Wolff T. 2009. Borna disease virus: a unique
pathogen and its interaction with intracellular signaling pathways. Cellular Microbiology.
[Internet]; [ Cited 2012 November 22] doi:10.1111/j.1462-5822.2009.01310.x 11:872–
879 Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1462-
5822.2009.01310.x/abstract;jsessionid=459A51CC29AD1D5509F053EC42E4FD4E.d01t
01

15. Thank you for your
Attention!
Any Questions?