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

Abstract

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.