Abstract

Bornaviruses are mainly neurotropic viruses causing neurological disease in a wide range of animal species as well as humans. Historically, these viruses have been considered genetically highly conserved, which is unusual for RNA viruses. Introduction of novel methodology, such as microarray and metagenomic tools, has led to the discovery of more diverse bornaviruses, and several virus species are now included in the family Bornaviridae. With novel methodology, endogenous bornavirus-like elements have also surprisingly been detected in the human and other mammalian genomes, some even resulting in protein expression. Mammalian bornaviruses cause Borna disease in horses and sheep, staggering disease in cats and neurological diseases in other species, such as dog, lynx and cattle. It has also been proposed to be linked to neuropsychiatric illnesses in human. Psittaciform and passeriform bornaviruses induce proventricular dilatation disease in psittacine (e.g. parrots and cockatoos) and passerine (e.g. canaries) birds, respectively. Aquatic bird bornaviruses infect waterfowl, such as swans, geese and ducks, mainly asymptomatically. A variegated squirrel bornavirus has been detected in a few human cases of fatal encephalitis, all related to contact with variegated squirrels, in which the same virus was detected. In this chapter, the epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, transmission routes, reservoirs, vectors, zoonotic aspects, treatment and control of bornaviruses are comprehensively described and discussed.

Published in

Title: Mononegavirales of Veterinary Importance. Volume II: Molecular Epidemiology and Control
ISBN: 9781780644172
Publisher: CABI

SLU Authors

• Johansson Wensman, Jonas

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Clinical Science
Pathobiology


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83704