Investigation of astrovirus and bornavirus in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs clinically diagnosed with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology.

BACKGROUND

Non-suppurative encephalitides in a variety of species, including humans and dogs, have been linked to infection by astroviruses and bornaviruses.

HYPOTHESIS/

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether or not ribonucleic acid of astroviruses or bornaviruses was present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs with clinically diagnosed meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology (MUE).

ANIMALS: Twenty-five client-owned dogs evaluated by CSF analysis at a single university referral hospital.

METHODS

Prospective case-control study. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected from clinically diagnosed MUE and control cases and evaluated by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the presence of astrovirus and bornavirus.

RESULTS

Neither astrovirus nor bornavirus nucleic acids were identified in CSF collected from 20 clinically diagnosed MUE and 5 control cases.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL

IMPORTANCE

The negative results of this investigation suggest that astrovirus and bornavirus are not commonly detectable in CSF of dogs with MUE.