Viral encephalitis in dogs and humans - identification of causes and patterns of disease in Swedish populations

Background

Konsekvenserna av hjärninflammation är ofta ytterst allvarliga. Utökad kunskap om bakomliggande orsaker till hjärninflammation kan användas för att förbättra möjligheterna till att förhindra, diagnosticera och bota sjukdom.

Project overview

The overall aim of the research project is to increase the knowledge of encephalitis in dogs in Sweden, and to make comparisons between dogs and humans to find common disease patterns.

In the project, we will map the incidence of encephalitis in the Swedish dog population over the past 25 years, but also investigate what types of changes are found in the brain tissue and underlying causes. An important part of the project is to use large-scale metagenomics to look for both known and previously unknown viruses as the cause of encephalitis in dogs. By using epidemiological methodology, we hope to increase our understanding of the characteristics of dogs affected by encephalitis.

The project includes investigating common disease patterns for dogs and humans affected by encephalitis of unknown cause. By investigating the presence of viruses as an underlying cause, and initiating investigations for the spread of detected viruses, possible common causes and risk factors for encephalitis in dogs and humans will be identified.