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.