Characteristics of patients with schizophrenia or neurological disorder and virus-like agent in cerebrospinal fluid.

A virus-like agent (V.L.A.) with a cytopathic effect on cultured cells was found in the cerebrospinal fluid of 18 of 47 patients with schizophrenia, of whom 10 had nuclear schizophrenic symptoms. In most patients with V.L.A., blood and C.S.F. protein concentrations were normal. Patients with and without V.L.A. had similar clinical characteristics but serum IgA levels were higher in those with V.L.A. V.L.A. was also detected in the C.S.F. of 8 of 11 patients with serious or chronic neurological disease (Huntington's chorea, multiple sclerosis, and unexplained alterations of consciousness).