Borna disease virus (BDV) circulating immunocomplex positivity in addicted patients in the Czech Republic: a prospective cohort analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Borna disease virus (BDV) is an RNA virus belonging to the family Bornaviridae. Borna disease virus is a neurotropic virus that causes changes in mood, behaviour and cognition. BDV causes persistent infection of the central nervous system. Immune changes lead to activation of infection. Alcohol and drug dependence are associated with immune impairment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the seropositivity of BDV circulating immunocomplexes (CIC) in patients with alcohol and drug dependence and healthy individuals (blood donors). We examined 41 addicted patients for the presence of BDV CIC in the serum by ELISA at the beginning of detoxification, and after eight weeks of abstinence. This is the first such study performed in patients with alcohol and drug dependence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BDV CIC positivity was detected in 36.59% of addicted patients on day 0 and in 42.86% on day 56. The control group was 37.3% positive. However, we did not detect higher BDV CIC positivity in addicted patients in comparison with blood donors (p = 0.179). The significantly higher level of BDV CIC was associated with lower levels of GGT (gamma glutamyl transferase) (p = 0.027) and approached statistical significance with the lower age of addicted patients (p = 0.064). We did not find any association between BDV CIC positivity and other anamnestic and demographic characteristics.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In our study addicted patients did not have significantly higher levels of BDV CIC than the control group. The highest levels of BDV CIC were detected in patients with lower levels of GGT and a lower age.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This study was approved by the ethical committee of the University Hospital Medical Faculty of Charles University in Pilsen, Czech Republic (registration number 303/2001).</p

A rapid streptavidin-capture ELISA specific for the detection of antibodies to feline foamy virus

We report a simple procedure for the rapid development of an ELISA with the potential for wide application to any defined protein antigen. The procedure involves the expression of protein encoded by a PCR product, using a commercially available T-vector that adds a biotin tag, and a single step purification by affinity for streptavidin for direct use in ELISA, In our experiments, a recombinant protein from the nucleocapsid domain of the feline foamy virus Sng gene was expressed as a fusion protein with a biotin tag and then applied directly to streptavidin-coated ELISA wells. An extract from a clone with the insert in antisense orientation was used as a control. Non-specific reactions with antigen extracts from both sense and antisense clones were observed in 6 of the 376 (1.6%) sera tested. Antibody to feline foamy virus, which forms a stable persistent infection in cats, was detected in 107 of 201 (53%) Australian cats, but none of 175 sera from veterinarians, There was a 100% correlation between FeFV antibody detected by ELISA, immunoblot, serum neutralisation and virus isolation, confirming that this test is sensitive and specific. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V