Low Prevalence of Borna Disease Virus RNA in Patients with Bipolar Major Depression and Schizophrenia in North of Iran

Borna disease virus (BDV) is well known as a neurotropic virus, however, its role in human neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the BDV genome in such patients in Golestan province, North of Iran.
RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 250 people (125 patients with bipolar disorder (94.5%) and schizophrenia (3.1%) and 125 sex and age-matched healthy blood donors). Demographic information was collected through a questionnaire. RNA-driven cDNA was used for further BDV P40 genome tracking by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
Only one sample (1/125; 0.8%) of a female patient with bipolar disorder found to be positive for BDV P40. No significant family history of the disease found in both groups of patients. Seven patients with bipolar depression disorder (5.5%) had a history of animal contact.
No BDV genome has been detected in the blood samples of the patients admitted to the hospital section of psychiatry in Gorgan city. Despite other genetic and environmental factors involved in psychiatric disorders, the serological study will give us a better insight of BDV prevalence in the region.