Prevalence of antibodies against Borna disease virus proteins in Japanese children with autism spectrum disorder.

Bornavirus infection is observed in both animals, including humans. However, bornavirus epidemiology in humans, especially in children, remains unclear. Here, we evaluated antibodies against bornaviruses in Japanese children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting, and radio ligand assay. The prevalence of antibodies against bornavirus-specific speckles, N, and P proteins were 22%, 48%, and 33%, respectively, in the ASD children. According to our criteria, the prevalence of antibodies against bornaviruses was 7.4% in the ASD children. This is the first report of the serological prevalence of bornavirus in Japanese children. Our results provide valuable baseline-data regarding bornavirus epidemiology in children for future studies.