Derivation of Name Physicochemical and Physical Characteristics

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a nonsegmented negativestrand ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus that is unique among viruses of the order Mononegavirales in its genomic organisation, nuclear localisation for replication and transcription, splicing and neurotropism. Most reports of natural infection have described outbreaks in horses and sheep in central Europe; however, the virus appears to be distributed worldwide and has the potential to infect many, if not all, warm-blooded hosts, causing disorders of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems. In horses and sheep BDV is associated with fatal meningoencephalitis. In parrots and related exotic birds the recently characterised avian Bornavirus (ABV) may also infect the central nervous system; however, disease is typically manifest as a wasting disease due to autonomic nervous system infection and impaired peristalsis in the gastrointestinal tract. Whether bornaviruses infect humans remains controversial.