Chronic Wasting Disease: new experience in Europe
Sylvie L. Benestad, Tran, B. Saure, R. Terland, S. Svendsen, K. Dessen, M. Haugum, M. Opheim, K. Handeland, K. Madslien, Ø. Kolbjørnsen, H. Wisløff, T. Moldal, J. Våge, T. Vikøren,, L. Pirisinu, G. Vaccari, R. Nonno
Norwegian Veterinary Institute
6th March 2018, Turin
20 convegno degli istituti zooprofilattici sperimentali sulle EST
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CWD in Norway
Cervid species Diagnosed
Free ranging reindeer 18
Moose 3
Red deer 1
Totalt 22
3 CWD spots
Same CWD strain in the strain 3 species?
Characterization of a prion strain in vitro
Different conformations…
… different reactions to Proteinase K treatment:
WB: Norwegian moose prions have different characteristics from other CWD isolates
It is not only host dependent: Norwegian moose was also different from Canadian moose
New strain? Need for bio-assay
Bio-assay ongoing
Institutions Country Recipient Prion gene from
INRA Toulouse France Transgenic mice Sheep (3 lines), cattle and human
CEA Jouy-en-Josas France Transgenic mice Macaques
ISS Rome Italy Bank voles 2 genotypes
UCL London UK Transgenic mice Human
PRC Fort Collins USA Transgenic mice Cervids and elk
CWRU Cleveland USA Transgenic mice Human
ANSES Lyon France Transgenic mice Sheep
Roslin Edinburgh/ Alberta University UK/ Canada Conventional mice Mice
Reindeer Moose/red deer
Age Young, adult Old
ELISA Positive Positive
Distribution of PrPCWD Lymph nodes and/or brain In brain but not in lymph nodes
Distribution of PrPCWD in the brain Spread, especially in the brain stem Mostly in neurons, in the whole brain
Western blot Like CWD in North America Low molecular weigth pattern. Truncated on the N-terminal.
2 populations of reindeer
Semi-domesticated
Wild
The sami people and their reindeer… no administrative borders
Nordfjella, relatively isolated area 2000 reindeer / 25 000 total wild reindeer.
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Depopulation of Nordfjella in 2017-2018
2 phases:
-Hunters giving heads
-State culling
2449 reindeer killed and tested since primary case.
18 positive cases
Primary test: ELISA TeSeE
Repeated ELISA TeSeE
Species Dead Sex Age PrPCWD PrPCWD obex LN
Rein 1 03.2016 Female 3-4 y POS POS
Rein 2 08.2016 Male 7 y POS POS
Rein 3 09.2016 Female 4 y POS POS
Rein 4 06.2017 Male 4 y not detected POS
Rein 5 08.2017 Female 3 y not detected POS
Rein 6 08.2017 Male 8 y not detected POS
Rein 7 10.2017 Male 2,5 y POS POS
Rein 8 11.2017 Male 2,5 y POS POS
Rein 9 11.2017 Male Adult POS POS
Rein 10 11.2017 Male 5 y POS POS
Rein 11 12.2017 Female Adult not detected POS
Rein 12 12.2017 Female Adult POS POS
Rein 13 01.2018 Male 1,5 y* not detected POS
Rein 14 01.2018 Male Adult not detected POS
Rein 15 02.2018 Male Adult not detected POS
Rein 16 02.2018 Male Adult POS POS
Rein 17 02.2018 Male Adult POS POS
Rein 18 02.2018 Female Adult not detected POS
Moose 1 05.2016 Female 13 y POS not detected
Moose 2 05.2016 Female 14 y POS not available
Moose 3 10.2017 Female 13 y POS not detected
Red deer 10.2017 Female 16 y POS not detected
Take home messages
CWD: new European disease
Most contagious of the prion diseases (within cervid population)
Wildlife population, management challenges
Overlapping cervids populations, both wild and semi domesticated
Measures to eradicate/ limit spread completed, unpredictable issue (environment)
Need for sensitive test on live animals (RAMALT) /environment (Rt-QuIC)
Genetic studies
New atypical CWD type in Norwegian moose, Nor16CWD
Where is the epicenter? What is the situation in Europe?
Thanks to all the Norwegian colleagues:
Veterinary Institute: Pathology technicians
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Ministry of Environment
Norwegian Food Safety Authority
The hunters
And thanks to international colleagues:
Olivier Andréoletti, INRA Toulouse, Fr
Emmanuel Comoy, CEA Jouy-en-Josas, Fr
Romolo Nonno, ISS Rome, It
John Collinge, UCL London, UK
Glenn Telling, Terry Spraker, PRC Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Qingzhong Kong, CWRU Cleveland, USA
Thierry Baron, ANSES, Lyon, Fr
Vincent Beringue, INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, Fr
Wilfred Goldmann, Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, UK
Thank you for your attention!