Lethal Borna disease virus 1 infections of humans and animals - in-depth molecular epidemiology and phylogeography

Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) is the causative agent of Borna disease, a fatal neurologic disorder of domestic mammals and humans, resulting from spill-over infection from its natural reservoir host, the bicolored white-toothed shrew (Crocidura leucodon). The known BoDV-1-endemic area is remarkably restricted to parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. To gain comprehensive data on its occurrence, we analysed diagnostic material from suspected BoDV-1-induced encephalitis cases based on clinical and/or histopathological diagnosis. BoDV-1 infection was confirmed by RT-qPCR in 207 domestic mammals, 28 humans and seven wild shrews. Thereby, this study markedly raises the number of published laboratory-confirmed human BoDV-1 infections and provides a first comprehensive summary. Generation of 136 new BoDV-1 genome sequences from animals and humans facilitated an in-depth phylogeographic analysis, allowing for the definition of risk areas for zoonotic BoDV-1 transmission and facilitating the assessment of geographical infection sources. Consistent with the low mobility of its reservoir host, BoDV-1 sequences showed a remarkable geographic association, with individual phylogenetic clades occupying distinct areas. The closest genetic relatives of most human-derived BoDV-1 sequences were located at distances of less than 40 km, indicating that spill-over transmission from the natural reservoir usually occurs in the patient´s home region.

Keywords (eng)

AnimalsBorna Disease Virus GeneticsBorna Disease Virus PhysiologyHumansBorna Disease EpidemiologyBorna Disease VirologyPhylogeographyPhylogenyMolecular EpidemiologyShrews VirologyFemaleMaleGermany EpidemiologyDisease Reservoirs VirologyAustria EpidemiologyZoonoses EpidemiologyZoonoses VirologyZoonoses TransmissionSwitzerland EpidemiologyAdultMiddle AgedGenome, Viral Genetics

Type (eng)

journal article

Language

[eng]

Persistent identifier

https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3912

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-52192-x

Is in series

Title (eng)

Nature Communications

Volume