A Warm Blooded Disturbance: The Facts About Borna Disease

Lizards, turtles, crocodiles, all of you cold blooded creatures out there; you're very lucky. This is one disease that you're not going to get. Borna disease is a type of toxin that infests organisms that are warm blooded.

Borna Disease is also categorized as a virus. Originally found in sheep and horses in Europe, this malady has moved across Europe and has been found in North America, Africa, and Asia as well. The sickness as gone far beyond just infecting sheep and horses, it has been found in domestic cats, cattle, and even us humans. Borna disease virus has been steadily contaminating a range of domestic animal species since first discovered in 1885.

Having three domestic cats, this disease scares me and makes me worry about the possibilities of them contracting it.

It is said that Borna disease is recognized to be the origin of an extensive range of neurological symptoms. Having a type of condition that strikes our nerves, our brain, and our muscles are symptoms that will strike us or the animal and not be able to pass it off as a random ache or pain. And of course every human and every animal is different and can experience these symptoms gradually or even may not be noticed until the person has lost all of its functions.

Neurological diseases, such as Borna disease, can even affect the part of the brain that generates awareness, so in turn, the one suffering from this illness will not even now that he or she is suffering. More generalized symptoms may even feel like you have a cold, in the sense of having fatigue, fever, chills, soreness, and even the feeling of slowness.

If Borna disease would find its way into the human or animal brain, symptoms would include the inability to awaken from sleep, personality changes, difficulty in speaking or even understanding what is being said. Convulsions would be experienced as well as memory loss. Because this is a neurological disease, it will affect the nerves and with this type of illness you would inevitably feel pain, weakness, and a burning or numb feeling in your hands and feet. Muscles have a tendency to feel the effects in which there would be difficulty in swallowing, double vision, and extreme weakness in all areas of the body.

Borna disease has been known to be an incurable sickness and normally ends fatally. If the sufferer does not see death, the survivors will remain permanently impaired neurologically. Small strands of this illness have been found in those who suffer from schizophrenia, HIV, as well as malaria. When animals are infected with this virus it is categorized as a type of brain infection.

The cause has been seen to be a harmful string RNA virus that is still in the process of being distinguished. When the virus latches onto a human or animal, it lasts from one to three weeks and has a death rate of up 80 to 100 percent.

Borna can be transmitted as easily as being in contact with bodily secretions and excretions from an animal or human, pinpointing especially via saliva and nasal secretions. Scientists have also detected that the virus can be transmitted through blood contact or transfusions. Whichever contact you are open to, can be transmitted from animal to human and visa versa.

As of right now there is not cure for the Borna Disease Virus, however doctors have been using amantadine in order to put the virus into remission. As an antiviral drug, it assists in short term management by stopping the virus from replicating and its benefits can be seen within a week. There are precautions, especially if the patient is experiencing seizures, taking amantadine may increase them.

In conclusion, Borna Disease is a very deadly and very unknowledgeable virus that can strike without notice, so keep you and your loved pets safe! Check with your local doctor or veterinarian for any new updates or vaccinations that can prevent spreading or infection of this illness.