Natural Science Forum / Biology / Microbiology / March 2007

M Y S T E R Y    V I R U S

KEYWORDS: Mystery Virus, Borna Virus, Persistent Sore Throat, Chronic
Snot (Nasal Mucus) Over-Secretion, Mental Symptoms, Apathy, Social
Withdrawal, Depression, Profound Tiredness, Skin Tone Changes and
Wrinkly Skin.

I WAS HIT BY A POWERFUL VIRUS THAT STARTED WITH A SORE THROAT, AND
THEN PROCEEDED FURTHER, INFECTING OTHER AREAS IN MY BODY. IT CAUSED
STRONG PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND MASSIVE PERSONALITY CHANGES, SUCH AS
APATHY, SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL, DEPRESSION, AS WELL AS DEEP FATIGUE.

My doctor has been of little help, and my limited research suggests
that it might be the Borna Virus, but this is just a rough guess.

HERE IS THE STORY, A BLOW BY BLOW ACCOUNT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME,  AS
THIS VIRUS HIT ME, AND TRAVELLED AROUND MY BODY:-

It all started a few years ago, when I contracted a virus that
started, innocently enough, with a sore throat. Being in excellent
health, I thought nothing of it. Several weeks later, however, my
throat had not cleared up, and the infection was spreading down my
wind pipe.

A month later, it spread further. My nose and sinuses started to get
infected, producing heavy, thick mucus. Even today, years later, I am
still on nose mucus overload - it won't stop coming out! My lungs then
became a little infected, with a mild cough, and my stomach started
aching a little, making bubbling sounds now and then, and producing a
bit of gas.

Then my gums began to get attacked, my gum line receded, exposing
previously covered areas of my teeth. Lots of plaque started getting
deposited on my teeth as well.

Soon after, "pins and needles" sensations started to appear all over
body, especially in my legs, but also in my arms, hands and torso. I
guessed these prickly twinges were in my muscles, but I was not sure
exactly. In any case, it seemed that the virus was spreading
throughout my body.

Then some very strange mental symptoms began. This started out with a
weird feeling, which I can only describe as a 'social phobia', which
left me feeling shy, tense and uncomfortable with friends, and on any
social occasions. Emotionally, I felt frail and weak, and I found
myself avoiding social contact more and more because of this. I was
quite fearless in any environment, and bit by bit, I began staying
home in preference to meeting people.

Next, a very profound apathy and mental laziness developed. The apathy
was towards all sorts of tasks and activities. My normal "can do"
attitude was replaced by a "I can't be bothered" feeling, which is
totally out of character, as I am normally a pro-active and highly
organised person. How can a virus produce such powerful psychological
changes?

Powerful physical and mental fatigue were also taking hold, making me
need more and more rest and sleep. I began to find myself dropping off
to sleep at odd times.

I also got some panic attacks, confusion, and mental decline.

The last thing that happened was a change in skin tone. I had
excellent, healthy skin, but it gradually has become wrinkled all over
my body. They are sort of micro-wrinkles, that give the skin an
unhealthy dull matt texture, rather than a smooth and even glow.

But this skin change is the lea of my concerns, it is the mental
symptoms that have caused the most problems. IT IS LIKE I AM A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT PERSON NOW.

My doctor seems to think that this infection will eventually go away,
but I see no evidence of that myself. I assume it is a virus
infection, because my doctor did a bacterial swab on my throat, and
this showed nothing. I don't think it is a standard infectious or
tropical disease, because I was also tested for all of these by a
specialist.

This virus is fairly contagious. It slowly spread to all the people in
the apartment where I live within a year, and to various friends as
well.

The symptoms vary slightly in different people. Sometimes the virus
infection starts with stomach sickness and diarrhoea initially, rather
than with a sore throat. There is not always this chronic, mucus-
producing nasal infection in everyone. The social phobia and apathy
are very common, it seems, as is the lingering sore throat and
profound tiredness. The worse thing is that whatever symptoms are
present remain constant and chronic even after years. They do not seem
to get better. It's tragic!

CAN ANYONE SUGGEST HOW I CAN FIND OUT WHAT THIS VIRUS IS, PLEASE!