Clinical, serologic, and histopathologic characterization of experimental Borna disease in ponies.
Abstract: Borna disease was originally described as an equine neurologic syndrome over 200 years ago, although the infectious etiology of the disorder was unproven until the early 20th century. Borna disease virus (BDV) was finally isolated from horses dying of the disorder, and that virus has been used to experimentally reproduce Borna disease in several species of laboratory animals. However, BDV has never been inoculated back into horses to experimentally and etiologically confirm the classic clinical, pathologic, and serologic characteristics of the disease in that species. Three ponies were intracerebrally inoculated with different amounts of BDV and were evaluated clinically, serologically, and neurohistopathologically. All 3 animals developed the clinical signs characteristically described for naturally occurring Borna disease, including ataxia, torticollis, postural unawareness, rhythmic repetitive motor activities, muscle fasciculation, and cutaneous hyperesthesia and hypoesthesia over several body surfaces. Two ponies died after rapid onset of these signs 28-30 days postinoculation. The third animal made a nearly complete clinical recovery. Seroconversion occurred only after the onset of signs and to a marked degree only in the convalescent animal. Virus was recovered postmortem from 2 of the 3 ponies, and a BDV-specific nucleic acid sequence was detectable in all 3 animals using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction procedure. Gross neural lesions were absent, but histopathologically there was generalized intense mononuclear perivascular cuffing, glial nodule formation, and astrocytosis in all 3 brains. Confirming a diagnosis of Borna disease is difficult and perhaps best accomplished using a combination of the clinical, serologic, and histopathologic indicators of this unusual disease supported by positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction findings.
Publication Date: 1998-10-24 PubMed ID: 9786521DOI: 10.1177/104063879801000405Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article documents the verification of Borna Disease in ponies through experimental infection by Borna Disease Virus (BDV). The infected ponies displayed typical signs of the disease, and their conditions were monitored and assessed using various methods including clinical, histopathological, and serological approaches.
Research Methodology
- Three ponies were artificially injected with the Borna Disease Virus (BDV)
- These ponies were then clinically evaluated and their signs were observed for confirmation with naturally occurring Borna disease
- The researchers tested for presence of the disease serologically – by identifying antibodies produced by their body in response to the disease
- The neurological tissues of the ponies’ bodies were studied histopathologically – which refers to the microscopic examination of the tissues for signs of the disease
- The disease was then diagnosed after comparing the symptoms, serologic and histopathologic findings, and verifying them with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction findings which determined the presence of the BDV in the ponies’ bodies
Findings
- All three of the ponies displayed signs of Borna disease – such as increased or decreased sensitivity over body surfaces, repetitive movements, lack of awareness of body positioning, twisted neck and coordination issues
- Two of the ponies died within a month after infection, showing rapid progression of the disease
- The third pony showed a near to complete recovery, which suggests some ponies might have a potential to fight off the disease
- Antibodies against the disease were observed in the recovering pony after the onset of the disease, suggesting seroconversion – change in serologic test from negative to positive as the immune response develops
- The virus was recovered from two ponies postmortem, confirming the successful infection
- All three ponies showed BDV-specific nucleic acid sequences in their bodies, detectable via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
- On examining the brain tissues, telltale signs of the disease were found despite no explicit neural lesions, such as intense mononuclear perivascular cuffing (an indication of inflammatory response), formation of glial nodules and astrocytosis
Implications and Conclusion
- The study demonstrated that the Borna disease can be incited experimentally in ponies – confirming the BDV as the causative agent. The symptoms, pathology and serology seen match with those found in naturally occuring cases
- This research accentuates the complexity of diagnosing Borna disease – implying that an affirmative diagnosis might best be achieved by using a combination of clinical, serological, and histopathological data, backed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction findings
Cite This Article
APA
Katz JB, Alstad D, Jenny AL, Carbone KM, Rubin SA, Waltrip RW.
(1998).
Clinical, serologic, and histopathologic characterization of experimental Borna disease in ponies.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 10(4), 338-343.
https://doi.org/10.1177/104063879801000405 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Diagnostic Virology Laboratory, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Health Inspection Services, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antigens, Viral / analysis
- Borna Disease / diagnosis
- Borna Disease / immunology
- Borna Disease / pathology
- Borna disease virus / pathogenicity
- Brain / pathology
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Serologic Tests
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- van der Kolk JH. The equine species as Trojan horse for Borna Disease Virus-1?. Vet Q 2018 Dec;38(1):126-128.
- Dürrwald R, Kolodziejek J, Weissenböck H, Nowotny N. The bicolored white-toothed shrew Crocidura leucodon (HERMANN 1780) is an indigenous host of mammalian Borna disease virus.. PLoS One 2014;9(4):e93659.
- Nishino Y, Kobasa D, Rubin SA, Pletnikov MV, Carbone KM. Enhanced neurovirulence of borna disease virus variants associated with nucleotide changes in the glycoprotein and L polymerase genes.. J Virol 2002 Sep;76(17):8650-8.
- Carbone KM. Borna disease virus and human disease.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2001 Jul;14(3):513-27.
- Degiorgis MP, Berg AL, Hârd Af Segerstad C, Mörner T, Johansson M, Berg M. Borna disease in a free-ranging lynx (Lynx lynx).. J Clin Microbiol 2000 Aug;38(8):3087-91.
- Nakamura Y, Takahashi H, Shoya Y, Nakaya T, Watanabe M, Tomonaga K, Iwahashi K, Ameno K, Momiyama N, Taniyama H, Sata T, Kurata T, de la Torre JC, Ikuta K. Isolation of Borna disease virus from human brain tissue.. J Virol 2000 May;74(10):4601-11.
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