Borna disease virus in patients with psychiatric disorders or fibromyalgia- demonstration of antibodies is highly dependent on the detection method.

In the past a possible association beta een Borna disease virus (BDV)-infec tion and psychiatric disorders in man was proposed. We investigated sera fr om patients with schizophrenia, major depression and fibromyalgia for the p resence of BDV-specific antibodies and examined the sensitivity of differen t detection methods for virus specific antibodies. Performing Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence assay and virus neutralisation assay we receiv ed inconsistent results. We found a high prevalence (10%) of BDV-specific a ntibodies in the sera of schizophrenic patients using Western blot, but cou ld not confirme these data by immunofluorescence or virus neutralisation as say. These inconsistent results indicate the need for a critical review of ail reported results of significantly enhanced seroprevalence of BDV antibo dies in neuropsychiatric patients.