Classical Borna disease virus identified to cause severe encephalitis

Investigations carried out by the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) in collaboration with a number of university hospitals identified the „classical“ Borna virus (Borna disease virus 1, BoDV-1; species Mammalian 1 Bornavirus) for the first time as likely source of severe inflammation of the meningis (encephalitis) in humans. The diseases occurred in three organ recipients from a single donor, two of them died hereinafter. One additional case exists, but it is not linked to the organ transplantation. Other pathogens that are known to cause encephalitis were not detected in any of the patients. At present, the involved institutions and the Robert Koch-Institute unanimously consider the BoDV-1-cases related to the organ recipients as a very rare event.