Reemergencia de la rabia animal a partir de 2007 en el municipio de Santiago de Cuba / Reemergence of the animal rage since 2007 in Santiago de Cuba municip

Se efectuó un estudio descriptivo y transversal para caracterizar algunas variables clinicoepidemiológicas de la rabia animal notificadas durante 2007, 2010, 2012 y 2015. Las estadísticas de esta zoonosis se obtuvieron en la Unidad Municipal de Higiene y Epidemiología del municipio de Santiago de Cuba. El universo de positividad estuvo constituido por 31 animales, con un predominio de perros (93,5 por ciento) y mangostas (6,4 por ciento). En el 2007 se notificó la mayor cantidad de canes (15) y el área de salud más afectada fue la del Policlínico Frank País García, con sus consejos populares Agüero-Mar verde y Manuel Isla. Prevalecieron los perros satos (55,2 por ciento) y la tasa de rabia fue de 6,4 por cada 100 000 canes, los cuales lesionaron a 73 personas (34 por año). Estos datos muestran el riesgo de adquirir rabia humana, por lo cual se debe prevenir la rabia animal

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out, to characterize some clinical and epidemiological variables of the animal rage notified during 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2015. The statistics of these zoonosis were obtained in the Municipal Unit of Hygiene and Epidemiology from Santiago de Cuba municipality. The positivity universe was constituted by 31 animals, with a prevalence of dogs (93,5 percent) and mongeese (6,4 percent). In 2007 the highest quantity in dogs was notified (15), and the most affected health area was that of Frank País García Polyclinic, with its popular councils Agüero-Mar Verde and Manuel Isla. Dogs without race prevailed (55,2 percent) and the rage rate was 6,4 every 100 000 dogs, which injured 73 people, (34 per year). These data show the risk of acquiring human rage, reason why the animal rage should be prevented

Borna Disease Virus Antibody and RNA from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Race Horses and Jockeys in Korea

OBJECTIVE: During the last two decades, Borna disease virus (BDV) has received much attention as a possible zoonotic agent, particularly as a cause of psychiatric disease. Although several studies have shown that BDV is present in Asia, BDV has not been detected in Korea. This study was designed to further investigate the presence of BDV infection in Korea. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 39 race horses and 48 jockeys. Antibody to BDV was detected by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and RNA of BDV by real time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR). RESULTS: No evidence of BDV was detected in either the horses or the jockeys group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that BDV infection may not be endemic in Korea. Further studies with novel diagnostic tools are required to clarify the prevalence of BDV infection in Korea.

Research on the association between Borna disease virus infection and the viral encephalitis / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>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.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>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.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>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.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>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.</p>

Failure to Detect Borna Disease Virus Antibody and RNA from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Psychiatric Patients

OBJECTIVE: Borna disease virus (BDV) is a highly neurotropic agent causing various neuropsychiatric symptoms in animals. Over the past two decades, it has been suggested that BDV might be associated with human psychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate whether BDV is associated with psychiatric patients in Korea. METHODS: We recruited 60 normal controls and 198 psychiatric patients (98 patients with depressive disorder, 60 with schizophrenia, and 40 with bipolar disorder). We used an indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for the BDV antibody and a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay for p24 and p40 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). RESULTS: Neither the BDV antibody nor p24, p40 RNA was detected in controls and patients groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that BDV might not be associated with psychiatric patients in Korea.

Failure to Detect Borna Disease Virus Antibody and RNA from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Psychiatric Patients

OBJECTIVE: Borna disease virus (BDV) is a highly neurotropic agent causing various neuropsychiatric symptoms in animals. Over the past two decades, it has been suggested that BDV might be associated with human psychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate whether BDV is associated with psychiatric patients in Korea. METHODS: We recruited 60 normal controls and 198 psychiatric patients (98 patients with depressive disorder, 60 with schizophrenia, and 40 with bipolar disorder). We used an indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for the BDV antibody and a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay for p24 and p40 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). RESULTS: Neither the BDV antibody nor p24, p40 RNA was detected in controls and patients groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that BDV might not be associated with psychiatric patients in Korea.

Bornavirus y enfermedades neuropsiquiátricas / Borna diseases and neuropsychiatrics diseases

La enfermedad producida por el virus de la enfermedad de Borna (VEB) o Borna Disease Virus (BDV), conocida como una encefalitis fatal, se ha reportado en caballos y ovejas en Europa Central, desde hace más de dos siglos. Los animales infectados por el VEB muestran cambios en el comportamiento: ansiedad, agresividad, separación del rebaño e hiperactividad. Estos signos también pueden encontrarse en seres humanos, con trastornos psiquiátricos como: enfermedad bipolar, depresión, esquizofrenia o encefalitis idiopáticas. Estas manifestaciones en los animales infectados se deben principalmente, a la respuesta inmune contra las células infectadas del sistema nervioso central (SNC). Desde 1980 se ha demostrado evidencia serológica de infección por el VEB en humanos. Sin embargo, aún existe mucho por investigar en este tema. En numerosos estudios se ha intentado asociar la presencia de anticuerpos o de partículas virales con manifestaciones psiquiátricas. Debido a que los desórdenes psiquiátricos son un problema importante en salud pública, y a que la gran mayoría de los reportes científicos se han hecho en países desarrollados en donde la epidemiología de las enfermedades muestran un comportamiento muy distinto a la que se observa en países tropicales en vías de desarrollo, es necesario realizar análisis rigurosos para corroborar o refutar el efecto de la infección por el VEB en algunas enfermedades mentales.

The disease caused by Borna Disease Virus (BDV), known as fatal encephalitis, has been diagnosed in horses and sheeps en Central Europe for over a century. Infected animals show changes in the behaviour such as anxiety, separation of the herd, and hyperactivity. This signs can be found in humans with psychiatric syndromes like bipolar disease, depression, schizophrenia, or idiopathic diseases. The manifestations in infected animals are due to the immune response against the infected cells in the central nervous system. Since 1980, serological evidence of BDV infection has been reported in humans and many suggested an association of specific antibodies or viral particles with psychiatric manifestations.Because most of the studies have been done in developed countries where epidemiological manifestations are different to those observed in tropical developing countries, it is necessary to do rigorous analysis to corroborate or refute the effect of BDV in some mental diseases.

Study on molecular epidemiology of Borna disease virus in Ningxia and vicinal regions / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to investigate the epidemics of borna disease virus (BDV) in Ningxia and its vicinal regions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>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.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>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.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>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.</p>

Detection of antibody against Borna disease virus-p24 in the plasma of Chinese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome by Western-blot analysis / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the prevalence of infection with Borna disease virus (BDV) in Chinese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and control subjects, and to discuss the etiological association between CFS and infection with BDV.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The CDC (1994) diagnostic criteria for CFS were used for case definition. Sixty-one patients suffered from CFS were from 11 Provinces in China. To detect the antibody against BDV-p24 on the plasma samples from all cases and 73 healthy control subjects by Western-blotting analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>7 of the sixty-one cases and 0 of the controls were sero-positive for BDV-p24 antibody, there was a statistical significant difference between the two groups (11.48% vs 0%; P less than 0.010).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chinese patients with CFS showed sero-positive identifying BDV infection, by comparison, anti.BDV-p24 antibody prevalence in patients was significantly higher than in controls. An etiological association may exist between CFS and BDV infection.</p>

Detection of Borna disease virus-p24 specific antibody in the sera of schizophrenic patients of China by means of Western-blot / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To investigate whether Borna disease virus (BDV) infection is related to the schizophrenic patients from China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A reliable Western-blot method for detection of BDV-p24 antibody was established by adjusting the reaction conditions of BDV-p24 recombinant protein and specific antibodies. The sera of schizophrenic patients and normal controls from Heilongjiang Province were screened for specific BDV-p24 antibody by this method, and the BDV-p24 antibody positive sera were confirmed by the Western-blot method with sera-GST protein absorption.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ten of 116 (8.6%) schizophrenic patients were found to be positive for BDV-p24 specific antibody, while no BDV-p24 specific antibody was found in sera of normal controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results demonstrate that the Borna disease virus infection also exists in China, and the infection is possibly associated with schizophrenia in some way.</p>

New and re-emerging pathogens

This manuscript aims to highlight a few of the new or re-emerging viruses that have made "news" recently. Of these are HIV, Hantavirus, monkeypox virus, dengue virus, influenza virus l and 5 NI, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus [KSHV], Borna disease virus, Ebola virus, other haemorrhagic fever viruses, Al-Khorma virus, hepatitis G virus, Calicivirus gastroenteritis, Enteroviral meningitis, Bovine prions and nvCJD. The advances in molecular techniques made it possible to detect new viruses. The new molecular tools for the identification of unculturable viruses are discussed

Aspectos biológicos de la depresión / Biological aspects of depression

Alteraciones en la neurotransmisión por serotonina, noradrenalina y dopamina están involucradas en la génesis de la depresión. Los glucocorticoides pueden causar depresión, tener efecto antidepresivo o inducir manía, y parecer mediar las alteraciones cognitivas relacionadas a la depresión. Existe una hiperactividad corticoadrenal asociada a la depresión, especialmente a la de tipo psicótico. Una sensibilidad excesiva a las variaciones fisiológicas de los niveles de hormonas sexuales parece ser el origen de la depresión postparto y del síndrome premenstrual. La deficiencia de folato se asocia a depresión. la S-adenosilmetionina y el inositol tiene actividad antidepresiva. Algunos deprimidos tienen predisposición a presentar episodios en invierno, mientras que con otros estos sucede en verano. El efecto antidepresivo de la privación de sueño sugiere que al dormir ocurre un proceso necesario para perpetuar la depresión. En algunos casos, la infección por virus Borna puede ser causa de trastornos afectivos.