Borna virus Coloured Transmission Electron Micro graph of a Borna virus in a tissue culture The virus causes the fatal Borna disease in horses and may be a cause of human psychiatric diseases such as clinical depression schizophrenia The virus has an outer membrane envelope blue This encloses the genetic material purple which is comprised of Ribonucleic Acid RNA Borna infects a wide range of creatures including humans It infiltrates the nervous system being particularly found in parts of the brain such as the hippocam pus and hypothalamus which control emotions and desires Drugs to treat Borna may cure psychiatric diseases Magnification x at xcm size