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Borna disease virus (BDV) is a non-cytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that can infect many vertebrate species, including humans. To date, BDV infection has been reported in a range of animal species across a broad global geographic distribution. However, a systematic epidemiological survey of BDV infection in domesticated animals in China has yet to be performed. In current study, BDV RNA and antibodies in 2353 blood samples from apparently healthy animals of eight species (horse, donkey, dog, pig, rabbit, cattle, goat, sheep) from three areas in western China (Xinjiang province, Chongqing municipality, and Ningxia province) were assayed using reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR) and ELISA assay. Brain tissue samples from a portion of the BDV RNA- and/or antibody-positive animals were subjected to RT-qPCR and western blotting. As a result, varying prevalence of BDV antibodies and/or RNA was demonstrated in various animal species from three areas, ranging from 4.4 % to 20.0 %. Detection of BDV RNA and/or antibodies in Chongqing pigs (9.2 %) provided the first known evidence of BDV infection in this species. Not all brain tissue samples from animals whose blood was BDV RNA and/or antibody positive contained BDV RNA and protein. This study provides evidence that BDV infection among healthy domestic animal species is more widespread in western China than previously believed.

Objective: To gain detailed insights into the Borna disease virus infection and its genetic characteristics and phylogeny in Ningxia, China., Methods: BDV p24 segment were detected by fluorescence quantitative nested RT-PCR from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 119 patients with viral encephalitis, 205 cattle, 978 sheep, 46 patients with cerebrovascular diseases and 13 patients with multiple sclerosis. Data from phylogenetic analysis on BDV p24 positive samples together with those from the positive gene sequences of animals and patients in the previous studies in Ningxia, were compared to the 29 sequences provided by the GenBank from 7 animals in 5 countries. Both the sequence homologous similarity of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences were analyzed and gene phylogenetic tree was reconstructed., Results: Data from 23 collections of positive test samples, together with the ones from early detection of gene sequence analysis, showed that the homologous similarity sequences of both nucleotide and amino acid was between 95.3% and 100.0% and highly homophylic with HE80 that detected from ill horses in Germany. One part of nucleotide sequences formed the 'Ningxia independent branch' while the other one belonged to the 'Germany-Ningxia-Japan mixed branch'. There was a high identity within the branch., Conclusion: A Ningxia independent BDV strain from geographical origin might exist while the epidemic strains were imported with multiple sources.

Objective: To investigate the infection of Borna disease virus (BDV) in unidentified viral encephalitis patients in Ningxia in order to explore if the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence in BDV p24 were homophylic with the overseas standard strain. We also intended to investigate the correlation between BDV infection and the unidentified viral encephalitis patients from Ningxia to lay an experimental basis for etiological diagnosis, prevention and treatment on certain human neuropsychiatric disorders., Methods: BDV p24 gene fragment was detected by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction with fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-nRT-PCR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Samples were from 59 unidentified viral encephalitis patients and 60 normal controls. For those positive products, gene sequence and amino acid sequence were then analyzed by BLAST and DNAsist 5.0., Results: The positive rate of the BDV p24 gene fragment in PBMCs from the unidentified viral encephalitis (10.17%) was significantly higher than from the controls (0%) (P < 0.05). Data from the gene sequence on those positive products showed BDV p24 fragment in the patients with unidentified viral encephalitis from Ningxia was homophylic with strain H3915 detected from ill horses (97.67%), as well as with the strain H1766 (96.51%) and strain V (95.35%). However, their amino acid sequences remained the same., Conclusion: BDV infection might probably have existed in the unidentified viral encephalitis patients of Ningxia. The gene sequence seemed to be homophylic with that of standard strain H1766 and strain V, especially with strain H3915.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological pattern of Borna disease virus (BDV) among different canine breeds in Ili, China, and to analyze its potential phylogeny., Methods: BDV p24 RNA fragments were detected from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of canine by modified nested RT-PCR (nRT-PCR). Possible false positives were excluded by determination of both BDV p40 RNA fragments and PMD19 plasmid standards. Analysis were performed on genetic sequence, homologous comparison, amino acid sequence and phylogeny after p24 positive products were validated., Results: BDV p24 RNA fragments were found only in Kazakh Tobet (a shepherd dog) in 8 breeds of 150 cases and their overall positive rate was 11.0% (10/91). Compared with the strain of He/80 from horse and that of S6 from sheep in Germany, the homologous similarities of Kazakh Tobet was 99.2% and 95.7%, and that of amino acid as 100% and 89.3%, respectively. The kinship of Kazakh Tobet was close to He/80 and next to S6., Conclusion: There was potential natural BDV infection in Kazakh Tobet in Ili, and its endemic strain was concerned with He/80 infecting Ili horse and S6 of German Merino sheep introduced into the region from Germany.

Objective: In order to study the epidemiology of Borna disease virus (BDV) in Zunyi region and its surrounding regions in Guizhou province., Methods: p24 fragment of BDV fragments in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 43 patients with viral encephalitis (VE), 9 cases with multiple sclerosis (MS), 7 cases with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), 5 cases with Parkinson disease (PD), 98 healthy donors and 300 goats were examined by quantitative fluorescence nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene sequence and amino acid sequence were analyzed for positive products., Results: The positive rate of BDV p24 fragment in PBMC from VE (13.95%) and MS (22.22%) were significantly higher than in healthy donors (0%, P < 0.05). The positive rate of BDV p24 fragment in PBMC from goats was 0.67%, without statistical difference when compared with healthy donors (P > 0.05). Guillain-Barre syndrome and Parkinson disease (PD) were tested negative. The sequence of the BDV p24 fragment from the patients with VE was in conformity with that of the MS. Results presented that 3 situs consistency silent mutation when compared with strain V and its homogeneity was 96.51%. 2 situs consistency silent mutation compared with BDV/MDCK and its homogeneity was 97.67%. 2 situs consistency silent mutation when compared with C6BV and its homogeneity was 97.67%. Sequences of the BDV p24 fragment from the goats presented 3 situs consistency silent mutation when compared with strain V and its homogeneity was 96.51%. 3 situs consistency silent mutation when compared with BDV/MDCK and its homogeneity was 96.51%. 3 situs consistency silent mutation when compared with C6BV and its homogeneity was 96.51%. However, there were no changes of encoding amino acids in all BDV p24 fragments from neuropsychiatric disorders., Conclusion: Our data indicated that the BDV infection was presented in patients with VE, MS and goats from Zunyi region and its surrounding regions of Guizhou province. BDV might play a potential role in the development of VE, MS as well as having correlations with animals.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological pattern of Borna disease virus (BDV) infection in horses and to analyze the phylogenetic tree of derived BDV in Yili, Xinjiang., Methods: We established a modified nested RT-PCR (nRT-PCR) to detect BDV p24 segment in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and brain tissues of 120 horses in Yili, Xinjiang. Positive products were analyzed by sequencing and homology analysis., Results: The positive rate of BDV infection was 2.5% in both PMBCs and brain tissues at the same time. The gene sequence revealed in positive PCR samples was more than 93%, identical to that of BDV derived from horses in other countries. We also noticed a high degree of identity (> 98%) to standard strain He/80 in gene sequence of positive PCR samples., Conclusion: Our study found the presence of BDV natural infection in horses in Yili. The endemic BDV had a high degree of identity to standard strain He/80.

Objective: In order to investigate the epidemics of borna disease virus (BDV) in Ningxia and its vicinal regions., Methods: p24 fragment of BDV from: (1) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells (CSFMC) from 52 patients with viral encephalitis (VE) and 32 healthy donors, (2) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 53 patients with depressive disorder (DD) and from 360 sheep, were examined by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(PCR) with fluorescence quantitative PCR. Gene sequence and amino acid sequence were analysed for positive product and the molecular epidemiologic characteristics by drawing phylogenetic trees., Results: The positive rate of BDV p24 in CSFMC from VE (11.54%) and in PBMC from DD 11.32% was significantly higher than that in healthy donors (0%) (P < 0.05). The phylogenetic trees indicating the genetic relationship of the p24 fragment of BDV in both sheep and VE, DD in China and was similar to the nucleotide sequence of H1766 strain in Germany., Conclusion: Data indicated that the BDV infection was possibly existing in VE, DD patients and health sheep in Ningxia and its vicinal regions with confined locality which called for further study.