Bornaviridae

Question 1

What is the only virus in the bornavirus genus?

Answer 1

Borna disease virus

Question 2

Do bornaviruses have envelopes?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

Bornaviruses have a single molecule of ________ sense, _________ stranded RNA

Answer 3

Negative sense

single stranded

Question 4

What are the major proteins of bornaviruses?

Answer 4

Matrix protein- M
Glygoprotein**- G (responsible for induction of neutralizing antibodies)
Nucleoproteins- N

Question 5

Small polypeptide X is abundant where?

Answer 5

In the cells - but not in the nucleocapsid of bornaviruses

Question 6

Where do bornaviruses replicate in the cell?

Answer 6

Nucleus

Question 7

T/F: Host cells are destroyed when newly replicated viruses leave the cells

Answer 7

FALSE

The cells are not destroyed – therefore you can have persistent infection

Question 8

How is borna disease virus (BDV) transmitted and to whom?

Answer 8

Oral-nasal route

Wide host range - including humans ZOONOTIC

Mostly horses and sheep (Natural infection)

Question 9

T/F: Mortality is high in horses that develop neurological signs with BDV infections

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

If the disease of BVD is a mild case, what does that mean for the animals recovery?

Answer 10

Recovery is rapid, but persistent infection develops –> become carriers

Question 11

What clinical signs may you see in a horse with BDV?

Answer 11

Fever, abnormal behavior (chewing motion without food intake - leads to excessive salivation), depression, head tilt, ataxia

Later stages: paralysis, , nystagmus, blindness, **head pressing

Question 12

How long is the typical course of BDV?

Answer 12

3-20 days, resulting in death

Question 13

What is the progression of pathogenesis of BDV?

Answer 13

virus passes intra-axonally to olfactory bulbs of the brain –> disseminates through CNS

Question 14

T/F: BDV does not elicit protective immune response

Answer 14

TRUE

But, may induce immunopathology: immune system induces the neuro pathology

Question 15

What is the significance of perivascular cuffing?

Answer 15

T cells, macrophages, and plasma cells will cluster around vasculature in the brain - can see this on histo

Question 16

What inclusion bodies are pathognomonic for BDV?

Answer 16

Joest-Degen

eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in neurons

Question 17

What is the gold standard test for BVD?

Answer 17

FAT - using cerebrospinal fluid or serum

Virus isolation, RT-PCR (for confirmation)

Question 18

T/F: there is a vaccine available for BDV?

Answer 18

FALSE

ID and quarantine carriers

Question 19

Where does the Avian bornavirus have tropism to?

Answer 19

nervous system

Question 20

What clinical signs are seen in a patients with avian bornavirus and who does it infect?

Answer 20

Psittacine birds - parrots

Progressive neuro dysfunction - ataxia, paralytic dilatation of the esophagus and proventriculus, GI tract dysfunction, wt loss