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Borna disease in a dog with lethal meningoencephalitis
H Weissenböck1, N Nowotny, P Caplazi
1Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. Herbert.Weissenboeck@vu-wien.ac.at
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|July 3, 1998
Summary
Borna disease virus (BDV) caused a fatal meningoencephalitis in a dog, confirmed by detecting viral RNA and antigen in its brain. This marks the first documented case of Borna disease in a canine.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Viral Pathogenesis
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Borna disease virus (BDV) is an emerging pathogen known to cause neurological disorders in various animal species.
- Canine neurological diseases often present with complex and progressive clinical signs, necessitating thorough diagnostic investigation.
- Meningoencephalitis is a serious inflammation of the brain and meninges, with diverse potential etiologies.
Observation:
- A dog presented with rapidly worsening neurological symptoms, leading to euthanasia.
- Histopathological examination revealed nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis, indicating inflammation in the central nervous system.
- The presence of Borna disease virus (BDV) was suspected based on clinical and histological findings.
Findings:
- Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and nested PCR confirmed the presence of BDV antigen and BDV-specific RNA in the dog's brain tissue.
- Nucleotide sequencing of the viral RNA demonstrated high homology (94-98%) to known BDV strains.
- This study provides the first definitive evidence of Borna disease infection in a domestic dog.
Implications:
- This finding expands the known host range of Borna disease virus to include domestic dogs.
- It highlights the importance of considering BDV in the differential diagnosis of canine neurological diseases.
- Further research is warranted to understand the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of BDV in canine populations.