No Borna disease virus-specific RNA detected in blood from psychiatric patients in different regions of Germany

In Germany and other parts of Europe, infections with Borna disease virus (BDV) cause behavioural disturbances and meningoencephalitis in horses and sheep. Based on serological data, it has been suggested that BDV might contribute to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders in human beings. BDV-specific RNA has been detected in necropsy brain specimens of patients with hippocampal sclerosis,1 bipolar affective disorder,2 and schizophrenia.2 BDV-specific RNA was also reported to be present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a high proportion of psychiatric patients from Germany.