Absence of evidence of Borna disease virus infection in Swedish patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is characterized by debilitating fatigue, so matic symptoms and cognitive impairment. An infectious basis has been propo sed; candidate agents include enteroviruses, herpesviruses, retroviruses an d Borna disease virus (BDV), a novel neurotropic virus associated with neur opsychiatric disorders. Sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Swedish CFS patients were assayed for evidence of infection using ELIS A and Western immunoblot for detection of antibodies to BDV proteins N, P a nd gp18; and using nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR) for detection of BDV N- and P-gene transcripts. No specific immunor eactivity to BDV proteins was found in sera from 169 patients or 62 control s. No BDV N- or P-gene transcripts were found through RT-PCR analysis of PB MC from 18 patients with severe CFS. These results do not support a role fo r BDV in pathogenesis of CFS.