Iowa Annual surveillance confirms 96 deer and three new counties for chronic wasting disease
Iowa Annual surveillance confirms 96 deer and three new counties for chronic wasting disease
Press/Media inquiries: PIO@dnr.iowa.gov
DNR News Releases
Annual surveillance confirms 96 deer and three new counties for chronic wasting disease
5/16/2023 1:49:00 PM
Chronic wasting disease was confirmed in 96 deer that were tested during the 2022 monitoring season, including deer from three new counties – Jasper, Grundy, and Lucas. With the addition of Jasper County, chronic wasting disease has again come into central Iowa.
The Iowa DNR will be hosting public meetings in Newton and in Black Hawk County in the coming months to discuss chronic wasting disease, how hunters can help with the surveillance effort and what they can do to help prevent the spread of the disease.
“We thought of Jasper County as seemingly far away from the disease. That changed last year with our first detection in Greene County,” said Dr. Rachel Ruden, state wildlife veterinarian with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Based on data coming out of other states, we’ve learned that deer can travel much greater distances than previously thought - 75 to 100 miles – so there really isn’t any place in Iowa where this disease can’t turn up.”
She said additional tissue samples will be collected from the new counties for the upcoming year to get a better picture for what is going on in these areas.
While the disease showed up in three new counties, it hasn’t been found in Woodbury County for two years and in Decatur County since 2019.
“The increased sampling after initial detections in Woodbury and Decatur counties did not yield additional positives, so the quotas in these areas will likely be downgraded to one tier above their previous baseline sampling goals,” Ruden said. “Now that doesn’t mean we won’t find it in the future.”
The Iowa DNR identifies the location of each of the positives and the year it was confirmed on its chronic wasting disease online dashboard at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting/Deer-Health/Chronic-Wasting-Disease/Surveillance-Results.
The Iowa DNR samples around 5,000 deer each year. More than 100,000 tissue samples have been collected and tested since 2002. The first deer tested positive in 2013, in Allamakee County. A total of 259 deer have tested positive to date.
The Iowa DNR partners with hunters, conservation boards, the Iowa Department of Transportation, taxidermists, lockers, city departments and others to collect samples for testing.
The DNR also implemented targeted incentive zone hunts in three counties - Allamakee, Clayton and Wayne.
“Part of our disease management strategy is to focus additional antlerless harvest in localized areas where we have found a high density of positive deer and this year, 29 of the 96 positives- nearly one third - came from these hunts,” Ruden said.
Part of that harvest success in the endemic areas may be due to outreach staff working in the area to increase the visibility of the disease. This is the second year the outreach specialists, funded by a grant from the USDA, have been working in these areas.
2022-2023 Confirmed CWD-Positive Wild Deer 65
2022-2023 Suspect CWD-Positive Wild Deer 19
Iowa Annual CWD TSE Prion surveillance effort finds 36 Iowa deer with chronic wasting disease
Annual surveillance effort finds 36 Iowa deer with chronic wasting disease
Samples from nearly 5,000 deer have been tested as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) effort to monitor for chronic wasting disease, resulting in 36 confirmed positives from the 2021-2022 hunting season.
The samples were collected over the past 10 months from willing hunters and taxidermists, as well as from deer killed along Iowa’s roads. Hunters have been a willing and important partner. They voluntarily provide the samples for testing, and execute the slow the spread plan should one of those deer turn out to be positive.
“Hunters are key to our monitoring effort and we are grateful for their assistance. We hit our quotas in almost every area of the state, which is good,” said Tyler Harms, wildlife biologist coordinating the disease surveillance for the Iowa DNR.
The DNR uses a weighted surveillance strategy focusing on high priority samples – older bucks – to increase the likelihood of finding the disease if it is present in the area. In areas where CWD is detected, the DNR increases the number of samples collected in order to monitor the spread of the disease. As additional positives are detected, the DNR will engage hunters to help to manage the herd toward the lower end of the population goal.
Hunters can still participate in select deer management zones hunts through Jan. 23, while licenses are available.
Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease belonging to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases. It attacks the brain of infected deer and elk causing the animals to lose weight, display abnormal behavior, lose body functions and die. It is always fatal to the infected animal.
Most of the 36 positives came from existing deer management zones except for three – a road-killed deer five miles south of Jefferson in Greene County, a deer taken in northwest Fremont County, and one from just outside the zone in Jackson County. The DNR will be scheduling meetings in these counties to discuss chronic wasting disease and how hunters can help to slow the spread. With the addition of Greene and Fremont, Iowa now has 12 counties where chronic wasting disease has been confirmed.
“We will be updating our surveillance plan to include these new positives and will consider increasing the overall number of samples collected in the state. Early detection is key,” Harms said. “Increasing harvest to catch any other positives will help us to manage for it more effectively. In these areas, we want to manage the herd on the lower end of our population goal to help slow disease transmission while still maintaining a quality recreational opportunity for our hunters.”
The Iowa DNR contacted all hunters with a positive deer and offered the opportunity to come collect the deer meat, hide and other animal parts or were provided other options for disposal.
This is the 20th year the Iowa DNR has tested deer across the state. The first deer tested positive in 2013. To date, 148 deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Iowa. More information is available online at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting/Deer-Health/Chronic-Wasting-Disease.
County: Number of Positive Deer (Year Detected)
Allamakee: 72 (2013)
Appanoose: 3 (2020)
Clayton: 29 (2016)
Decatur: 1 (2019)
Dubuque: 3 (2018)
Fayette: 2 (2019)
Fremont: 1 (2021)
Greene: 1 (2021)
Jackson: 2 (2020)
Wayne: 22 (2017)
Winneshiek: 10 (2019)
Woodbury: 2 (2019)
Media Contact: Tyler Harms, Biometrician, Wildlife Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-777-5378.
Voluntary Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program Annual Update, FY2020
Last Modified: Feb 9, 2021
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services
Annual Update from the Cervid Health Team
Voluntary Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program (HCP)
The APHIS National CWD Herd Certification Program (HCP) was implemented in 2014. It is a voluntary Federal-State-industry cooperative program administered by APHIS and implemented by participating States. The program provides uniform national herd certification standards that minimize the risk of spreading CWD in farmed cervid populations. Participating States and herd owners must comply with requirements for animal identification, fencing, recordkeeping, inspections/inventories, as well as animal mortality testing and response to any CWD-exposed, suspect, and positive herds. APHIS monitors the Approved State HCPs to ensure consistency with Federal standards through annual reporting by the States.
With each year of successful surveillance, herds participating in the HCP will advance in status until reaching five years with no evidence of CWD, at which time herds are certified as being low risk for CWD. Only farmed cervids from enrolled herds certified as low risk for CWD may move interstate. FY 2020 marks the eighth year that Approved States have submitted their CWD HCP annual reports to APHIS.
The current Cervid Health Program staff officers are as follows: Dr. Mark Lyons, Dr. Jennifer Siembieda, and Dr. Tracy Nichols
Voluntary Herd Certification Participation Summary
Currently, 28 States participate in the voluntary CWD Herd Certification Program encompassing 2,145 enrolled herds, of which, 1,723 had the certified status in the program.
1,616 enrolled deer herds, of which, 1,297 were certified
371 enrolled elk herds, of which, 328 were certified
147 enrolled mixed species herds, of which, 98 were certified
CWD in Farmed Cervids Summary of CW Detections
There were 22 newly identified CWD positive herds in FY20
13 of these herds were not participants in the Federal HCP
2 herds were considered enrolled in the HCP
7 herds were certified in the HCP
Half of the herds were located within 20 miles of identified CWD in the wild, half were not CWD Herds by State
Pennsylvania: Eight new CWD positive herds
Breeding herd of 33 WTD, HCP certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Breeding herd of 6 WTD, not in HCP, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Breeding herd of 15 WTD, not in HCP, depopulated by owner\
Hunt preserve of 58 WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Breeding herd of 75 WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Breeding herd of WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Breeding herd of 90 WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Breeding herd of 4 WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Iowa: Two new CWD positive herds
Breeding herd of 23 WTD, HCP certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Breeding herd of 13 WTD, HCP certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Minnesota: Two new CWD positive herds
Breeding herd of 3 WTD, enrolled in HCP, not certified, depopulated by owner
Breeding herd of 6 WTD, enrolled in HCP, not certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Colorado: Two new CWD positive herds
Breeding herd/hunt preserve of 9 elk, HCP certified, depopulated by owner
Breeding herd of 8 elk, HCP certified, populated and under quarantine
Utah: Two new CWD positive herds
Breeding herd of 465 elk, not in HCP, partial depopulation with Federal indemnity- removed purchased animals, populated-quarantine
Breeding herd of 103 elk, not in HCP, partial depopulation with Federal indemnity- removed purchased animals, populated-quarantine
Michigan: One new CWD positive herd
Hunt preserve of >600 WTD, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Montana: One new CWD positive herd
Breeding herd of 3 elk, not in HCP, populated and under quarantine
Texas: one new CWD positive herd
Breeding herd of 59 WTD, not in HCP, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Kansas: One new CWD positive herd
Breeding herd of 20 elk, HCP certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Ohio: Eight new CWD positive herd
Breeding herd of 138 WTD, HCP certified, depopulated with Federal indemnity
Research
Whole genome study investigating the association of genetics with CWD susceptibility has been published.
Blinded validation of the genetic predicative model is almost complete
A standardized protocol has been developed, in partnership with ARS, USGS, University of WI, and NIH for tissue sample testing using RT-QuIC
A study is starting shortly to determine the sensitivity and specify of RT-QuIC utilizing the standardized protocol
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Voluntary Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program Annual Update, FY2020
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion 111 wild Deer Positive To Date
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion in Farmed Cervid To Date ???
Trace outs, Trace ins, there from ???
Iowa 21 deer test positive for chronic wasting disease
21 deer test positive for chronic wasting disease
2/24/2021 9:59:00 AM
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ 2020 surveillance of Iowa’s wild deer herd for the presence of chronic wasting disease has yielded 21 new positive deer, and has added two new counties to the list where positive deer have been found.
The new positive deer were all from either an existing chronic wasting disease zone or adjacent to an existing zone. Two new counties were added to list where deer have tested positive. Jackson County had a positive deer that was taken just south of the existing Dubuque disease management zone, and Appanoose County had a positive deer taken just northeast of the existing Corydon disease management zone.
“Although we expect some spread just outside of our existing zones, it’s not what we like to see,” said Tyler Harms, deer program leader for the Iowa DNR. “We will reassess the boundaries of our existing zones to encompass these new positives.”
The Iowa DNR has a map online at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting/Deer-Disease-Information showing where the positive deer have been taken. To date, 111 wild Iowa deer have tested positive for the disease since 2013 when it was first discovered in the state.
“We rely heavily on our hunters to help us respond to this disease by increasing antlerless harvest in our disease management zones,” Harms said. “We know increased harvest is the best way to slow the spread and it helps increase sampling in these zones so we can monitor disease prevalence and spread. We continue to encourage hunters to harvest additional antlerless deer in these disease management zones.”
The 2020 sampling year ends March 31 and while most of the deer samples are collected during the hunting seasons, the DNR does collect samples from road killed deer and suspected sick deer near the deer disease management zones annually beginning April 1.
CWD-Positive Wild Deer in Iowa 2013-Present 111
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Update 91 Positive as of December 3, 2020
DNR News Releases
Virtual meeting on fatal deer disease scheduled for Dec. 3
12/1/2020 1:24:00 PM View Count 972 Return
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be hosting a virtual meeting on Dec. 3, 2020 at 12 p.m., to discuss the status of chronic wasting disease in Iowa. The meeting will be broadcast via Facebook Live at facebook.com/IowaDNR to provide Iowans the opportunity to ask questions. To attend via Zoom, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87404715461?pwd=TjZhanI2NjlGQzM2em42T0xiRkQ0QT09 and enter the passcode: CWD2020!
The meeting will be recorded and available for viewing after the meeting on the Iowa DNR YouTube channel after the event is over and the video is outfitted with closed captioning.
Typically, the Iowa DNR would host in-person public meetings to provide citizens the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns. However, a virtual meeting can get information out to a broader audience while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.
Tyler Harms, deer program leader for the Iowa DNR, encourages hunters to either attend this meeting or watch the recorded presentation, especially if they plan to hit the field for the upcoming shotgun seasons.
“We feel it is important for hunters to be armed with information on this disease as we enter our most popular deer hunting seasons of the year,” he said.
Harms said that testing harvested deer is one of the best and easiest ways hunters can help the DNR monitor the spread of the disease.
“Our surveillance program relies heavily on voluntary samples from hunters, and we encourage anyone interested in helping with this effort to contact your local DNR wildlife unit if you are interested in getting your deer tested, especially those hunting in counties where chronic wasting disease has been found,” Harms said.
Since 2013, the fatal disease has been found in wild deer in eight Iowa counties, including Allamakee, Clayton, Winneshiek, Fayette, and Dubuque in the northeast, Wayne and Decatur in the south, and Woodbury in the west. The Iowa DNR has tested nearly 85,000 tissue samples from wild deer for chronic wasting disease since monitoring began in 2002. So far, there have been 91 positive tests.
Each year the DNR collects deer tissue samples from every county in Iowa, with efforts focused on portions of northeast and eastern Iowa near Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, south-central Iowa near Missouri, and along the Missouri River near Nebraska where the disease has been detected. Additional testing has been conducted in Pottawattamie, Cerro Gordo, Van Buren, and Davis counties, following positive tests from captive facilities. All counties have at least 15 samples collected annually. The disease has been found in every state around Iowa.
“Deer hunting is an important tradition for many Iowans, and we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to monitor and slow the spread of this disease to maintain a healthy deer herd for future generations,” Harms said.
The Iowa DNR has more information about chronic wasting disease and other infectious diseases online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/cwd .
Nov. 22, 2019
Iowa Positive tests were confirmed on farms in Van Buren County DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 22, 2019
Two Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease Found at Deer Farms
Positive tests were confirmed on farms in Van Buren County DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 22, 2019) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has confirmed that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been found in captive white-tail deer on two separate farms in Van Buren County, Iowa. Both sites are quarantined while the Department works to trace potential exposures and contain the disease.
There is no evidence that CWD can spread to humans, pets or domestic livestock. CWD is a neurological disease that only affects deer, elk and moose. It is caused by an abnormal protein called a prion and impacts the brain of the infected animal. The prions can attach to soil and spread the disease among deer. Symptoms of the disease include excessive salivation, thirst and urination, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, listlessness as well as drooping ears and head.
The disease was detected as part of the Department’s voluntary CWD monitoring program. Participating producers test deceased farm-raised deer and elk over 12 months of age. Positive test results must be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture.
Chronic Wasting Disease was first identified in captive mule deer at a research facility in Colorado in 1967. The disease was then found in Wisconsin in 2002. Since 2002, Iowa has tested for CWD in 7,447 captive deer and elk as part of its surveillance program. The last confirmed case in Iowa was in Buchanan County in 2016.
To learn more about CWD, visit https://iowaagriculture.gov/animal-industry-bureau/chronic-wasting-disease
###
Iowa’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Herd Certification Program (HCP)
CWD Program Standards
ADT/Traceability Fact sheet for interstate transport of Cervids
Regulatory Sample Collection
Public meeting on fatal deer disease set for March 10 in Leon
Leon, Iowa - Deer hunters who hunt in Decatur County take note– chronic wasting disease has shown up in your area. A hunter harvested wild deer taken during the first shotgun season in Decatur County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has scheduled a meeting on March 10, at 7 p.m., in the Central Decatur CSD, 1201 NE Poplar, in Leon, to discuss the status of chronic wasting disease in Iowa and how deer hunters can help stop or slow the spread of this disease.
Tyler Harms, wildlife biologist for the Iowa DNR, will coordinate the meeting. He said there are several things hunters can do today to help monitor for the disease.
“The first and most important is to allow sampling of hunter harvested deer,” he said. “Second, is to remove any mineral blocks and feeders that unnaturally concentrates deer and increases the chance of spreading any disease and finally report any sick or emaciated deer to the DNR.
“We want people to come to this meeting, ask their questions, hear the concerns from other hunters,” Harms said. “Deer hunting is an important tradition and, for some, a large part of their identity. It is also important to us and we need to work together to combat this disease. Our goal is to provide quality deer hunting today, tomorrow, and for future generations.”
The Iowa DNR has tested nearly 74,000 deer tissue samples for chronic wasting disease since monitoring began in 2002. The disease first appeared in Iowa’s wild deer herd in 2013. So far, there have been 89 positive tests.
The Iowa DNR sets an annual goal of collecting 6,900 deer tissue samples. The effort has focused on portions of northeast and eastern Iowa near Wisconsin, Illinois, and south-central Iowa near Missouri, where the disease has been detected. Additional testing has been conducted in Pottawattamie, Cerro Gordo and Davis counties, following positive tests from captive facilities. All counties have at least 15 samples collected annually. The disease has been found in every state around Iowa.
Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease belonging to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases. It attacks the brain of infected deer and elk causing the animals to lose weight, display abnormal behavior, lose body functions and die. It is always fatal to the infected animal.
“Deer hunting is one of Iowa’s great traditions. We want to educate and work with our hunters so we continue to have the best deer herd in the country for generations to come,” he said.
The Iowa DNR has more information about chronic wasting disease and other infectious disease online at www.iowadnr.gov/cwd. ;
Media Contact: Andy Kellner, Wildlife Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-975-8318.
Iowa CWD TSE Prion 2019/20 (confirmed or suspect) 43 cases to date Wild Cervid
Captive Population Positives (5)
Map Date February 4, 2020
see old history of this CWD blunder in Iowa here;
For Immediate Release Thursday, October 2, 2014
Dustin Vande Hoef 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
*** TEST RESULTS FROM CAPTIVE DEER HERD WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RELEASED 79.8 percent of the deer tested positive for the disease ***
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today announced that the test results from the depopulation of a quarantined captive deer herd in north-central Iowa showed that 284 of the 356 deer, or 79.8% of the herd, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
see archived url link;
For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Dustin Vande Hoef 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 1
TEST RESULTS FROM CAPTIVE DEER HERD WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RELEASED 79.8 percent of the deer tested positive for the disease
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today announced that the test results from the depopulation of a quarantined captive deer herd in north-central Iowa showed that 284 of the 356 deer, or 79.8% of the herd, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The owners of the quarantined herd have entered into a fence maintenance agreement with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which requires the owners to maintain the 8’ foot perimeter fence around the herd premises for five years after the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected
CWD is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease of farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. There is no known treatment or vaccine for CWD. CWD is not a disease that affects humans.
On July 18, 2012, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, IA confirmed that a male white tail deer harvested from a hunting preserve in southeast IA was positive for CWD. An investigation revealed that this animal had just been introduced into the hunting preserve from the above-referenced captive deer herd in north-central Iowa.
The captive deer herd was immediately quarantined to prevent the spread of CWD. The herd has remained in quarantine until its depopulation on August 25 to 27, 2014.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship participated in a joint operation to depopulate the infected herd with USDA Veterinary Services, which was the lead agency, and USDA Wildlife Services.
Federal indemnity funding became available in 2014. USDA APHIS appraised the captive deer herd of 376 animals at that time, which was before depopulation and testing, at $1,354,250. At that time a herd plan was developed with the owners and officials from USDA and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Once the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected, indemnity of $917,100.00 from the USDA has been or will be paid to the owners as compensation for the 356 captive deer depopulated.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship operates a voluntary CWD program for farms that sell live animals. Currently 145 Iowa farms participate in the voluntary program. The above-referenced captive deer facility left the voluntary CWD program prior to the discovery of the disease as they had stopped selling live animals. All deer harvested in a hunting preserve must be tested for CWD.
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new archived url link;
z 5. On July 16, 2012, DNR received a notice from the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab ("Texas Vet Lab”) that a sample from an adult male deer killed at Pine Ridge tested presumptively positive for CWD. (DNR has an agreement with the Texas Vet Lab to run these preliminary tests.) Because the Texas Vet Lab found this presumptive positive result, protocols required the sample to be sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory ("National Lab”) in Ames, Iowa for final confirmation. On July 18, 2012, the National Lab confirmed the positive CWD result in the deer.
6. On July 19, 2012, DNR notified the Brakkes of the positive test by phone. Mr. Brakke was out of state.
snip...
12. The Brakkes depopulated the Hunting Preserve, as specified in the Agreement, from September 10, 2012 to January 31, 2013. As part of this effort, the Brakkes, the staff and their customers killed 199 captive deer and nine captive elk. The DNR obtained 170 CWD samples. (Samples were not taken from fawns and one adult female who was killed in a manner that made sampling impossible.) Of these 199 deer, two additional adult male deer tested positive for CWD. Information provided by the Brakkes confirmed that these two additional deer originated from the Brakke Breeding Facility.
13. DNR installed, with the Brakke's permission, an interior electric fence on October 1 and 2, 2012.
14. The Brakkes cleaned and disinfected, under DNR supervision, the feeders and ground surrounding the feeders on April 5, 2013.
15. On April 26, 2013, the Brakkes hand-delivered a notice to the DNR’s Chief of Law Enforcement Bureau, notifying the DNR that they would no longer operate a hunting preserve on the Quarantined Premises. The Brakkes did not reveal any plans to remove the fence around the Quarantined Premises or to remove the gates to and from the Quarantined Premises in this April 26, 2013 letter.
16. On June 3, 2013, DNR became aware that sections of the exterior fence surrounding the Quarantined Premises had been removed and that some, if not all, of the exterior gates to and from the Quarantined Premises were open.
17. On June 4, 2013, DNR received reports from the public in the area that four wild deer were observed inside the Quarantined Premises.
18. On June 5, 2013, DNR conducted a fence inspection, after gaining approval from surrounding landowners, and confirmed that the fenced had been cut or removed in at least four separate locations; that the fence had degraded and was failing to maintain the enclosure around the Quarantined Premises in at least one area; that at least three gates had been opened; and that deer tracks were visible in and around one of the open areas in the sand on both sides of the fence, evidencing movement of deer into the Quarantined Premises.
IV. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
snip... On June 5, 2013,
DNR conducted a fence inspection, after gaining approval from surrounding landowners, and confirmed that the fenced had been cut or removed in at least four separate locations; that the fence had degraded and was failing to maintain the enclosure around the Quarantined Premises in at least one area; that at least three gates had been opened...
***79.8 percent of the deer tested positive for the disease ***
***test results from the depopulation of a quarantined captive deer herd in north-central Iowa showed that 284 of the 356 deer, or 79.8% of the herd, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). ***
For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Dustin Vande Hoef 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 1
TEST RESULTS FROM CAPTIVE DEER HERD WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RELEASED 79.8 percent of the deer tested positive for the disease
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today announced that the test results from the depopulation of a quarantined captive deer herd in north-central Iowa showed that 284 of the 356 deer, or 79.8% of the herd, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The owners of the quarantined herd have entered into a fence maintenance agreement with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which requires the owners to maintain the 8’ foot perimeter fence around the herd premises for five years after the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected CWD is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease of farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. There is no known treatment or vaccine for CWD. CWD is not a disease that affects humans.
On July 18, 2012, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, IA confirmed that a male white tail deer harvested from a hunting preserve in southeast IA was positive for CWD. An investigation revealed that this animal had just been introduced into the hunting preserve from the above-referenced captive deer herd in north-central Iowa.
The captive deer herd was immediately quarantined to prevent the spread of CWD. The herd has remained in quarantine until its depopulation on August 25 to 27, 2014.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship participated in a joint operation to depopulate the infected herd with USDA Veterinary Services, which was the lead agency, and USDA Wildlife Services.
Federal indemnity funding became available in 2014. USDA APHIS appraised the captive deer herd of 376 animals at that time, which was before depopulation and testing, at $1,354,250. At that time a herd plan was developed with the owners and officials from USDA and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Once the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected, indemnity of $917,100.00 from the USDA has been or will be paid to the owners as compensation for the 356 captive deer depopulated.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship operates a voluntary CWD program for farms that sell live animals. Currently 145 Iowa farms participate in the voluntary program. The above-referenced captive deer facility left the voluntary CWD program prior to the discovery of the disease as they had stopped selling live animals. All deer harvested in a hunting preserve must be tested for CWD.
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http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2014press/press10022014.asp
new archived url link;
IOWA DNR EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER IN THE MATTER OF TOM & LINDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING LODGE UPDATE AUGUST 21, 2013
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER
IN THE MATTER OF:
TOM & RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING LODGE Davis County, Iowa
EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER NO. 2013-HP-
TO: Tom and Rhonda Brakke, Owners of Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge 22529 Balsam Ave. Clear Lake, IA 50428
1. SUMMARY
This Emergency Consent Order is entered into between the Director of the lowe Department of Naturel Resources (“DNR”) and Tom and Rhonda Brakke D/B/A Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge (“the Brakkes”) related to violations alleged by the DNR to have occurred at the premises they previously managed as a hunting preserve, Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge (“Pine Ridge”). This Emergency Consent Order is entered into between the parties for the purpose of settling the issues which were the subject of a hearing for a stay of the Emergency Order issued by the DNR on June 5, 2013 ("Emergency Order”).
This Emergency Consent Order supersedes the Emergency Order issued on June 6, 2013 with respect to sections V.5 and V.6 only and only to the extent the terms here in are inconsistent with the terms of sections V.5 and V.6 of such Emergency Order. Nothing herein shall be construed in any way as an admission of any issues or liability by any of the parties to this Emergency Consent Order.
Questions regarding this Emergency Consent Order should be directed to:
Relating to technical requirements (DNR): Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-6156
Relating to legal requirements (DNR): Kelley Myers, Attorney for the DNR Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-5534
Angie Bruce, Wildlife Bureau Executive Officer Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-8070
Relating to technical requirements (Brakkes): Relating to legal requirements (Brakkes):
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lOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PlNE RIDGE HUNTlNG PRESERVE
Tom Brakke 22529 Balsam Avenue Clear Lake, IA 50428 Phone: (641)425-2095
Rebecca A. Bromrnel BrownWinick 666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000 Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: (515)242-2452
ll. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
1. DNR issued an Emergency Order on June 6, 2013, which required the Brakkes to comply with six separate provisions.
2. - Upon issuance of the Emergency Order, DNR requested the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to set the case for a contested case hearing consistent with Iowa Code chapter 17A and 561 lAC chapter 7.
3. The Brakkes, through their counsel, appealed the Emergency Order on June 25, 2013. The Brakkes, through their counsel, flied a Motion for Stay on June 27, 2013, requesting the administrative law judge stay the Emergency Order.
4. The presiding administrative law judge, Judge Heather Palmer, issued the Notice for Hearing on June 18, 2013.
5. The parties, in prehearing conference with the judge, agreed that the hearing would be treated as a hearing on a motion for a stay, consistent with 561 lAC section 7.18(5).
6. The parties agreed to settle prior to the judge deciding whether to issue a stay ofthe Emergency Order. This Emergency Consent Order includes the terms of that settlement.
III. ORDER
THEREFORE, DNR orders and the Brakkes agree, without admitting any fault or any liability, to do the following:
1. The parties agree that an electrified fence just inside the existing high perimeter fence shall be restored or reconstructed on the following terms:
a. Electric Fence. The Brakkes shall maintain such electrified fence until such time as described in paragraph b below. The following terms shall apply to the electric fence:
i. Initiation of the construction and reconstruction efforts must commence by July 10, 2013, and be completed by July 22, 2013 unless unforeseen conditions are encountered or extenuating circumstances arise.
ii. The Brakkes and DNR shall split the cost of the materials for and/or installation of the fence 50-50. DNR intends to provide its staff for labor
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
and such labor costs shall be the responsibility of DNR and not included in the costs to be divided with the Brakkes.
iii. The fence shall be installed in such a manner as to ensure its effectiveness but also ease its maintenance. This may require, among other features, attachment to existing perimeter fencing so that the electrified portions come up from the ground at an approximate 45 degree angle. Regardless of the design, the fence must include an electrified wire every linear foot for at least three feet. The final design, which should be consistent with this section, shall be subject to the approval of at least one of the DNR’s biologists identified in paragraph c below and the Brakkes. The fence should be designed and installed in a manner that the 50 percent amount to be paid by the Brakkes for such fence does not exceed the amount the Brakkes paid pursuant to the September 7, 2012 Agreement for Chronic Wasting Disease Recovery Plan at Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.
iv. After construction is complete, the Brakkes shall be solely responsible for all fence repairs, maintenance and associated costs, except as stated in paragraph 3(a)(vii) below.
v. One of the DNR Wildlife biologists identified in paragraph c shall conduct a weekly internal perimeter fence inspection and shall note all reasonable repairs that must be made to make and keep the fence functional. All necessary repairs identified by the biologist shall be submitted to the Brakkes in writing and completed within 24 hours from the date of the submission, unless such repairs cannot be reasonably completed within such time but provided such repairs are completed within a reasonable time thereafter.
vi. One of the DNR Wildlife biologists identified in paragraph c shall conduct an internal perimeter fence inspection at the washout locations along the perimeter of Pine Ridge within one day of a significant rain event and shall note all reasonable repairs that must be made to make and keep the fence functional. All necessary repairs identified by the biologist shall be submitted to the Brakkes in writing and completed within 24 hours of the date of the submission, unless such repairs cannot be reasonably completed within such time but provided such repairs are completed within are reasonable time thereafter.
vii. If during their inspection, one of the biologist observes a breach or other damage to either the perimeter or electric fence that requires immediate action to prevent animal release or harm, DNR shall repair such damage on the spot and at its own expense. The biologist shall notify the Brakkes of such repairs and direct them to make additional repairs if needed.
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
viii. At no time during the time in which the electric fence is required shall the DNR wildlife biologists identified in paragraph c enter Pine Ridge without first providing notice to the Brakkes.
ix. The electric fence requirements set forth herein shall terminate once depopulation, as set forth below, is completed and such depopulation is confirmed by DNR.
b. Depopulation. The Brakkes shall depopulate the wild deer on Pine Ridge or shall authorize one of the DNR Wildlife biologists identified in paragraph c, to conduct such activities, as soon as is practicable or feasible given weather and terrain conditions. The following conditions shall apply:
i. The Brakkes may destroy the deer through any lawful means or may rely on the DNR Wildlife Biologists identified in paragraph c below to conduct such depopulation.
ii. Depopulation activities shall occur until the DNR Wildlife biologists conclude that all wild deer on Pine Ridge are destroyed or are likely destroyed. Such judgment shall be based on the observation and professional judgment of the biologist. To that end, the biologist must be provided with reasonable access to Pine Ridge to make such judgment.
iii. Depopulation activities must occur prior to the end of the 2013-2014 hunting season.
iv. Any deer destroyed pursuant to this Emergency Consent Order shall be immediately provided to or made available to DNR staff identified in paragraph c in order to ensure that testing and disposal can occur. DNR shall collect requisite samples and submit them for CWD testing. DNR shall share all results related to deer killed-on Pine Ridge with the Brakkes upon receipt of the same. DNR shall be responsible for all testing and disposal costs related to these efforts.
c. DNR Wildlife Staff. The Brakkes shall refer all communications related to fencing orde population to the following DNR Wildlife Staff: Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief, Angi Bruce, Executive Officer 3; Bill Ohde, Wiidlife District Supervisor; Keith Wilcox, Natural Resources Technician 2; Lincoln Utt, Natural Resources Technician 1; and Darwin Emmons, Natural Resources Technician 1. The Brakkes may suggest additions to this list during the term of this Emergency Consent Order with such request being made, in writing or email, to Dr. Dale Garner.
2. The Brakkes shall not be required to submit an operational plan, as described in section V.6 of the Emergency Order, pending a hearing on the merits or resolution of this case.
IV. DISPOSITION OF MOTION FOR STAY
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY CONSENT ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
This Emergency Consent Order resolves the Motion for Stay filed by the Brakkes on June 27, 2013. DNR acknowledges the Brakkes have appealed the Emergency Order and such portions that are subject to their appeal may be heard in the hearing on the merits that is tentatively set for November of 2013 regardless of this Emergency Consent Order.
V. NONCOMPLIANCE
Failure to knowingly comply with this Emergency Consent Order may result in referral of this matter to the Attorney General or any other appropriate legal authority for relief as allowed by law.
CHUCK GIPP, DIRECTOR Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Dated this 3rd day of July, 2013
TOM BRAKKE, CO-OWNER Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge
Dated this 3 day of July, 2013
CC: Kelley Myers, Rebecca Brommel
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/070313_consent_order.pdf
new archived url link
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER
IN THE MATTER OF:
TOM & RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING LODGE Davis County, Iowa
EMERGENCY ORDER
NO. 2013-HP-
TO: Tom and Rhonda Brakke, Owners of Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge 22529 Balsam Ave. Clear Lake, IA 50428
I. SUMMARY
This Emergency Order is issued by the Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources ("DNR") to Tom and Rhonda Brakke D/B/A Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge ("the Brakkes”) for the purpose of resolving violations which occurred when the Brakkes removed portions of the fence surrounding the premises they manage or have managed as a hunting preserve, Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge, an area under quarantine for chronic wasting disease ("CWD"). This Emergency Order requires the Brakkes to stop immediately the deconstruction of the fence surrounding the Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge hunting preserve ("Quarantined Premises"); to restore immediately the portions of the fence so removed or degraded; to maintain the fence as an adequate quarantine around the Quarantined Premises for a period of five years; to close immediately and keep closed all gates to return the Quarantined Premises to a closed state; to authorize DNR to access the Quarantined Premises for a limited duration for the purposes of depopulating any deer that may be present; and to submit and agree to execute a plan designed to prevent the spread of CWD from the Quarantined Premises.
Questions regarding this Emergency Order should be directed to:
Relating to technical requirements:
Relating to legal requirements:
Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-6156
Kelley Myers, Attorney for the DNR Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-5634
Angie Bruce, Wildlife Bureau Executive Officer Iowa Department of Natural Resources 502 East Ninth Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Phone: 515-281-8070
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
II. JURISDICTION
Pursuant to Iowa Code section 484C.4, which requires the Director to enforce the hunting preserve program and requirements; Iowa Code section 456A.23, which requires the DNR to protect wild animals and enforce by proper actions and proceedings the laws, rules and regulations relating to them; Iowa Code section 456A.25, which authorizes the Director to issue an order after investigation has occurred to secure compliance with the laws and rules DNR is entrusted to enforce; 571 Iowa Administrative Code ("IAC") section 115.10, requiring the Brakkes to maintain the quarantine for a period of at least five years; and 561 IAC section 7.18, which is incorporated by reference in 571 IAC chapter 7, which authorizes the Director to issue an emergency order requiring cessation of an activity and requiring an affirmative action when necessary to prevent or avoid immediate danger to the welfare of the state, DNR has jurisdiction to issue this Emergency Order.
III. STATEMENT OF FACTS
1. The wild deer hunting industry generates approximately $200 million annually for Iowa’s economy and is responsible for the creation of over 2000 jobs, annually. In addition, the tax revenue for the state and federal governments attributed to this wild deer hunting industry in Iowa is approximately $30 million combined, annually. In addition, wild deer are native to the State of Iowa and constitute a public resource held in trust by the state of Iowa.
2. Iowa Code authorizes the establishment and management of hunting preserves. These facilities are fenced facilities wherein customers traditionally pay the operator to participate in a hunt on the fenced property. The deer within the hunting preserve are whitetail and considered preserve deer. Wild animals may not be caught to populate the hunting preserve (except for some remaining deer upon the initial erection of the fences and after diligent efforts to remove those wild deer); instead, the hunting preserves are populated by natural breeding on the preserve grounds and by introduction of farm deer provided by breeding facilities.
3. Consistent with its statutory and administrative authorities, DNR manages diseases in deer, in particular CWD, because wild deer roam many hundreds of miles and can transmit CWD through saliva, nasal fluid, urine and excrement. The spread of CWD is made more virulent by virtue of the fact that CWD is not a virus or bacteria; it is a disease caused by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prions. These prions are infectious and self-propagating, meaning they can live without an animal host in the ground, and no known cure exists. The spread of this disease appears more likely where deer are crowded or congregated, which is why CWD testing is done at hunting preserves in Iowa. Other states that have experienced CWD outbreaks in the wild herd have not been able to stop them. The costs of CWD outbreaks are both financial, in lost hunting revenues for local businesses and farmers and lost tax revenues related to the hunting and traveling associated with hunting, as well as social, with the stigmatizing of one of Iowa’s cherished local traditions.
4. The Brakkes operated the Pine Ridge Hunting Lodge ("Pine Ridge") as a hunting preserve, authorized by Iowa Code chapter 484C and regulated by 571 IAC chapter 115. DNR issued the most recent license to the Brakkes to operate the hunting preserve at Pine Ridge from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
5. On July 16, 2012, DNR received a notice from the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab ("Texas Vet Lab”) that a sample from an adult male deer killed at Pine Ridge tested presumptively positive for CWD. (DNR has an agreement with the Texas Vet Lab to run these preliminary tests.) Because the Texas Vet Lab found this presumptive positive result, protocols required the sample to be sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory ("National Lab”) in Ames, Iowa for final confirmation. On July 18, 2012, the National Lab confirmed the positive CWD result in the deer.
6. On July 19, 2012, DNR notified the Brakkes of the positive test by phone. Mr. Brakke was out of state.
7. On July 23, 2012, DNR met with the Brakkes to initiate an epidemiological investigation. This investigation would help determine where the infected deer came from and make preliminary assessments about the extent of the exposure. The Brakkes provided information including their herd inventory and photographic evidence of the animals killed on the date the infected deer was killed. Also present at this meeting were representatives from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship ("IDALS"), the United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") and the Iowa Whitetail Deer Association, an Iowa non-profit organization. IDALS regulates breeding programs that sometimes populate hunting preserves. USDA regulates interstate transport of captive deer; its veterinarian designated as the Area Veterinarian in Charge would have been involved to determine if the diseased captive deer are or may have been moved through interstate commerce and/or transport.
8. Based on information provided by the Brakkes, DNR concluded that captive deer killed on the Hunting Preserve on the same day as the infected deer were located in Florida, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Iowa. Between July 27, 2012 and August 6, 2012, DNR worked with law enforcement officials from those other states to collect samples from the antlers of those deer for DNA testing. These tests would help to identify the origin of the infected deer and verify Brakke's prior documents that the infected deer came from the breeding facility run by the Tom and Rhonda Brakke in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa ("Brakke’s Breeding Facility"). These samples were obtained in a manner to preserve the chain of custody.
9. On August 10, 2012, the Wyoming Game and Fish Wildlife Forensic and Fish Health Laboratory ("Wyoming Lab") provided DNR results for the seven specimens provided to it. (DNR has an agreement with the Wyoming Lab to conduct DNA testing.) The results confirmed that the infected deer originated from the Brakke's Breeding Facility.
10. On August 13, 2012, DNR notified the Brakkes of the DNA results by telephone. DNR advised the Brakkes that they would need to meet with DNR to develop a plan to address the CWD infection at the Hunting Preserve. DNR would have also been communicating with IDALS consistent with the Plan.
11. On September 7, 2012, DNR and the Brakkes executed an agreement ("Agreement") to depopulate the Hunting Preserve by January 31, 2013, and to clean and disinfect the Hunting Preserve. It also contained a general Compliance with Laws provision, which required the Brakkes to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including without limitation the rules described in 571 Iowa Administrative Code section 115.10 related to the maintenance of a
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
quarantine on the Quarantined Premises and the prohibition of deer movement in or out of the Quarantined Premises.
12. The Brakkes depopulated the Hunting Preserve, as specified in the Agreement, from September 10, 2012 to January 31, 2013. As part of this effort, the Brakkes, the staff and their customers killed 199 captive deer and nine captive elk. The DNR obtained 170 CWD samples. (Samples were not taken from fawns and one adult female who was killed in a manner that made sampling impossible.) Of these 199 deer, two additional adult male deer tested positive for CWD. Information provided by the Brakkes confirmed that these two additional deer originated from the Brakke Breeding Facility.
13. DNR installed, with the Brakke's permission, an interior electric fence on October 1 and 2, 2012.
14. The Brakkes cleaned and disinfected, under DNR supervision, the feeders and ground surrounding the feeders on April 5, 2013.
15. On April 26, 2013, the Brakkes hand-delivered a notice to the DNR’s Chief of Law Enforcement Bureau, notifying the DNR that they would no longer operate a hunting preserve on the Quarantined Premises. The Brakkes did not reveal any plans to remove the fence around the Quarantined Premises or to remove the gates to and from the Quarantined Premises in this April 26, 2013 letter.
16. On June 3, 2013, DNR became aware that sections of the exterior fence surrounding the Quarantined Premises had been removed and that some, if not all, of the exterior gates to and from the Quarantined Premises were open.
17. On June 4, 2013, DNR received reports from the public in the area that four wild deer were observed inside the Quarantined Premises.
18. On June 5, 2013, DNR conducted a fence inspection, after gaining approval from surrounding landowners, and confirmed that the fenced had been cut or removed in at least four separate locations; that the fence had degraded and was failing to maintain the enclosure around the Quarantined Premises in at least one area; that at least three gates had been opened; and that deer tracks were visible in and around one of the open areas in the sand on both sides of the fence, evidencing movement of deer into the Quarantined Premises.
IV. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. Iowa Code section 484C.3 authorizes the DNR to adopt rules to administer the Preserve Whitetail program authorized by Iowa Code chapter 484C. DNR, through the Natural Resource Commission, has adopted rules in 571 IAC chapter 104 and 115 to limit movement of captive deer, monitor diseases among captive deer and establish requirements for hunting preserves authorized by the Preserve Whitetail program.
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
2. Iowa Code section 484C.4 authorizes the DNR to develop, administer and enforce hunting preserve programs consistent with the requirements both in Iowa Code chapter 484C and rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
3. Iowa Code section 484C.6(1) requires fences installed in and around hunting preserves to comply with rules adopted by the DNR; this requirement would include the fencing requirements found in 571 IAC section 115.10 and discussed in paragraph 6 of this section below. The Agreement, through the Compliance with Laws provision, requires the maintenance of a quarantine on the Quarantined Premises and the prohibition of deer movement in or out of the Quarantined Premises; such requirement would survive termination of the Agreement by virtue of being law.
4. Iowa Code section 484C.12(1) requires that any whitetail deer confined in hunting preserves are free of diseases and authorizes DNR to establish a quarantine for the infected whitetail population. The facts stated above demonstrate that CWD was found within the Brakkes whitetail population at the Quarantined Premises and that Brakkes were knowledgeable of such determination.
5. Iowa Code section 484C.12(2) requires the landowner and an epidemiologist appointed by the DNR, to develop a plan in the event a reportable disease, such as CWD, is found. The plan must include the eradication of the reportable disease among the preserve whitetail population as well as a plan both to reduce and eliminate the reportable disease and to prevent the spread of disease to other animals. The plan must comply with the DNR's rules, must be approved by the DNR and must be incorporated into an agreement between the landowner, or the Iandowner’s veterinarian, and epidemiologist appointed by the DNR. The facts stated above demonstrate that the Brakkes worked with the DNR to depopulate the Quarantined Area but that the Brakkes did not develop a future operational plan to address how they would continue to prevent the spread of disease to other animals.
6. 571 IAC section 115.10 requires a five-year quarantine be placed on a preserve and any remaining animals on the preserve when CWD is found in any animals on a preserve. (Currently CWD is only found in the animal family cervidae, which include deer and elk.) The rules prohibit animal movement in or out of the preserve during the quarantine period. The facts stated above demonstrate that the Brakkes have violated this rule requirement in their removal of the fence and opening ofthe gates.
7. Iowa Code section 17A.18A authorizes the Director of the DNR to take action necessary to prevent or avoid immediate danger to the public welfare. The Brakke’s failure to maintain the quarantine of the Quarantined Premises will allow for the spread of CWD beyond a captive herd. Once wild deer are exposed to CWD that exists on the Quarantined Area, DNR will not have a mechanism to limit the exposure to the remainder of the wild deer population. Iowa's wild deer herd serves a multi-million dollar industry in the state of Iowa and provides over $15 million in tax revenue to the state. The spread of CWD into the wild population would cripple the whitetail hunting industry in Iowa.
8. 561 IAC section 7.18 (which is incorporated by reference in 571 IAC chapter 7) authorizes the Director of the DNR to issue this Emergency Order to the extent necessary to prevent
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
or avoid immediate danger to the welfare of the citizens of Iowa. This authority authorizes the Director of the DNR to require a person or persons to immediately cease an offending activity or take an affirmative action to avoid or mitigate the offending action. This emergency action is necessary for the reasons stated in paragraph 7 of this section.
V. ORDER
THEREFORE, DNR orders the Brakkes to do the following immediately:
1. The Brakkes shall immediately discontinue the deconstruction of the fence surrounding the Quarantined Premises.
2. The Brakkes shall completely restore the portions of the fence surrounding the Quarantined Premises that have been removed or degraded by no later than June 7, 2013.
3. The Brakkes shall maintain the fence surrounding the Quarantined Premises, as an adequate quarantine until December 28, 2017, which is a period of five years from date of the last positive CWD diagnosis on the Quarantined Premises, which was December 28, 2012.
4. The Brakkes shall close by June 7, 2013, and keep closed, all gates to and from the Quarantined Premises to return the Quarantined Premises to a closed state.
5. The Brakkes shall authorize DNR officials to access the Quarantined Premises for a period of four weeks from date the Brakkes satisfy paragraphs 1 and 2 of this section for the purposes of depopulating any deer that may be on the Quarantined Premises. DNR shall recover and test those deer, if any, for CWD and report the findings to the Brakkes.
6. The Brakkes shall submit an operational plan, consistent with Iowa Code section 484C.12(2) that demonstrates how they shall comply with the quarantine requirements imposed by 571 IAC section 115.10. It shall be designed to prevent the spread of CWD to other animals. Such plan shall be reviewed by the DNR and shall be memorialized in an agreement among the Brakkes or the Brakkes’ veterinarian, the DNR and the State of Iowa's epidemiologist.
VI. HEARING
Pursuant to Iowa Code section 17A.18A(5), this Emergency Order is being transmitted to the Department of Inspections and Appeals so that the order may be set for immediate hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. You will be promptly notified of the hearing time and place. Consistent with 561 IAC section 7.18(5) (incorporated by reference into 571 IAC chapter 7), you may seek a stay of this Emergency Order consistent with the procedures identified therein.
VII. NONCOMPLIANCE
Failure to comply with this Emergency Order may result in referral of this matter to the Attorney General to obtain injunctive relief, any civil penalties authorized by Iowa Code section 484C.13 and any civil damages attributed to the spread of CWD from the Quarantined Premises to
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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED TO: TOM AND RHONDA BRAKKE D/B/A PINE RIDGE HUNTING PRESERVE
the wild and other captive herds in the state or to the Davis County Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution consistent with Iowa Code section 484C.13.
CHUCK GIPP, DIRECTOR Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Dated this 6th day of June, 2013
CC: Kelley Myers
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/060613_consent_order.pdf
new archived url link
Iowa Judge Rules against IDALS Motion to Consolidate Brakke Cases
July 23, 2013
Iowa Judge Rules against IDALS Motion to Consolidate Brakke Cases
Iowa Assistant Attorney General to Inquire Constitutionality of CWD Standards Rationale Today, July 23, 2013, the Iowa Administrative Legal Judge ruled against a motion request by the Iowa Department of Land Stewardship (IDALS) to merge the two contested cases (Ag and IDNR) filed by the Brakke family into one. The motion would also delay hearing the merits for both cases until November. Tom and Rhonda Brakke filed suit against IDALS last fall to seek indemnity for their animals on their breeder farm. The Brakke’s filed a second suit against the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in July 2013, after the IDNR issued an emergency order quarantining their 330 acres until December 28, 2017. The Brakke’s believe the two lawsuits are separate jurisdictions and constitutional takings even though they are both related to the exposure of Chronic Wasting Disease. In a statement issued by the Iowa Assistant Attorney General, "Both cases will involve a constitutional takings analysis, and that analysis will involve some level of discussion of the cience and rationale behind IDALS' and DNR's Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) quarantines policies and the USDA's Program Standards for CWD exposed herds or property." The American Cervid Alliance will distribute updates regarding the Iowa cases as they become available.
http://myewa.org/pdf/07_30_13/ACA_July_22_IOWA_AG.pdf
new archived url link
Iowa Scrapie TSE Prion Surveillance Sheep and Goats ???
Iowa Progress: Since 1993, the state of Iowa has had 86 herds that have been infected with Scrapie and has made steady progress in eradicating Scrapie. The chart below shows the number of Scrapie Infected Flocks detected in Iowa since the calendar year 2002. The last case of Scrapie in an Iowa producer’s herd was in a goat herd in January 2014. This producer also had sheep that had been diagnosed with Scrapie in 2013.
https://www.iowaagriculture.gov/animalIndustry/pdf/2017/Scrapie/Scrapie%20Eradication%20Progress.pdf
new archived url link
Scrapie surveillance:
The USDA sets minimum goals for Scrapie sampling for each state. This sampling can be done at Slaughter or On-Farm.
Iowa has never had a problem reaching our goal for sheep but since the Scrapie goat herd in NW IA was discovered in January 2014, the USDA has increased our goat surveillance goal.
We have never been able to reach our increased surveillance goals for goats due to the fact that Iowa has no slaughter plants for adult goats and not all goats are required to have Scrapie ID.
https://iowaagriculture.gov/sites/default/files/animal-industry/2018NewsletterandHealthRequirements.pdf
new archived url link
For Immediate Release Monday, July 23, 2012
Dustin Vande Hoef Communications Director 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
Contact: Kevin Baskins, DNR 515-281-8395
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE FOUND IN IOWA
DES MOINES – A white-tail deer at a hunting preserve in Davis County has become the first positive detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Iowa. The positive sample was verified this week, and DNR is working closely with the State Veterinarian on this isolated incident.
There is no evidence that CWD can spread to humans, pets or domestic livestock such as pork, beef, dairy, poultry, sheep or goats.
The Davis County facility where the animal was held has been inspected by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to ensure that any remaining deer remain contained. The facility is surrounded by an eight-foot fence. A quarantine has also been issued for the facility.
“Given all of Iowa’s surrounding states have confirmed cases of CWD, Iowa DNR was prepared to address this isolated incident,” said DNR Deputy Director Bruce Trautman.
The DNR and IDALS have a CWD response plan in place to address the disease.
“We have a CWD surveillance program in place to test deer, elk and moose at the facilities that raise farm deer and we have worked closely with DNR to plan for a possible finding of the disease,” said Iowa State Veterinarian Dr. David Schmitt.
Iowa has tested 42,557 wild deer and over 4,000 captive deer and elk as part of the surveillance program since 2002 when CWD was found in Wisconsin.
The DNR will increase testing of wild deer in the area by working with hunters and landowners to collect samples from hunter harvested deer beginning this fall.
CWD is a neurological disease that only affects deer, elk and moose. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion, which affects the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and lose bodily functions. Signs include excessive salivation, thirst and urination, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, listlessness and drooping ears and head.
The prions can attach to soil and spread the disease among deer. Chronic wasting disease was first identified in captive mule deer at a research facility in Colorado in 1967. Prior to the positive detection in Iowa, CWD had been detected in every bordering state.
-30-
https://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2012press/press07232012b.asp
new archived url link (when it opens, page blank right side, skroll on down, old news release at bottom)
A Newsletter for the Iowa Sheep Industry ❖ December 2013
Scrapie Eradication Progress
by Gregory S. Schmitt, DVM
The National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) started in 2001.
The goal for the NSEP is to have Scrapie eradicated by 2017.
U.S. Progress: This past Fiscal Year (FY13 = October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013) there were 11 newly identified Infected and Source flocks in the nation.
Two of these were goat herds.
In Fiscal Year 2011 there were 15 newly identified Infected and Source flocks and in FY 2012 there were 8.
This is down from a high of 181 in FY 2005.
Iowa progress:
Until this year, Iowa’s last case of Scrapie was found in July 2010.
This fall Iowa identified 1 new Source and 4 new infected flocks in NW Iowa.
The 4 Infected flocks occurred as a result of sales of breeding sheep out of the Source flock to other sheep producers.
Flock cleanup is ongoing in these flocks.
There have been a total of 82 sheep flocks in Iowa that have been found to be infected with Scrapie since the accelerated National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) started in November 2001.
In Fiscal Year 2005, Iowa had a high of 15 newly found Source or Infected flocks.
http://d1cqrq366w3ike.cloudfront.net/http/DOCUMENT/SheepUSA/2013-december-lamb-and-wool.pdf
new archived url link
Iowa Animal Health News Volume 9, Issue 1 March, 2008
Iowa Progress: Since the program began in 11/01, 60 scrapie-infected flocks have been found in Iowa, with 7 of those found in 2007. Each year the number of flocks found to be infected with scrapie decreases in Iowa, so we are hopeful that we are making real progress. Most infected flocks are found through scrapie slaughter surveillance of adult breeding sheep. Although not all adult ewes are tested at slaughter, records show that among our Iowa sheep flocks with more than 50 head, that 70% of them have had at least one ewe sampled for scrapie at slaughter.
National Progress: As a result of a good collaborative effort between the sheep industry and the government, there has been a 34% decrease, between 2006 and 2007 in the percent of scrapie-positive sheep tested at slaughter, and the number of infected flocks also dropped by 38%. These drops were observed even though the number of sheep sampled at slaughter every year has increased. These numbers indicate that we are truly making progress in eradicating scrapie from the U.S. A total of 329 scrapie-infected sheep were found nationally testing during fiscal year 2007 through a combination of slaughter and on-the-farm testing. Twenty-four of those sheep were found in Iowa, with ten of those found at slaughter and the rest through on-the-farm testing that results from animals traced from infected flocks and animals found in infected flocks.
https://iowaagriculture.gov/sites/default/files/animal-industry/pdf/Newsletter/animalIndustryNews2008.pdf
new archived url link
Title: Scrapie transmits to white-tailed deer by the oral route and has a molecular profile similar to chronic wasting disease
Author item Greenlee, Justin item MOORE, S - Orise Fellow item SMITH, JODI - Iowa State University item Kunkle, Robert item WEST GREENLEE, M - Iowa State University Submitted to: American College of Veterinary Pathologists Meeting Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2015 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary:
Technical Abstract: The purpose of this work was to determine susceptibility of white-tailed deer (WTD) to the agent of sheep scrapie and to compare the resultant PrPSc to that of the original inoculum and chronic wasting disease (CWD). We inoculated WTD by a natural route of exposure (concurrent oral and intranasal (IN); n=5) with a US scrapie isolate. All scrapie-inoculated deer had evidence of PrPSc accumulation. PrPSc was detected in lymphoid tissues at preclinical time points, and deer necropsied after 28 months post-inoculation had clinical signs, spongiform encephalopathy, and widespread distribution of PrPSc in neural and lymphoid tissues. Western blotting (WB) revealed PrPSc with 2 distinct molecular profiles. WB on cerebral cortex had a profile similar to the original scrapie inoculum, whereas WB of brainstem, cerebellum, or lymph nodes revealed PrPSc with a higher profile resembling CWD. Homogenates with the 2 distinct profiles from WTD with clinical scrapie were further passaged to mice expressing cervid prion protein and intranasally to sheep and WTD. In cervidized mice, the two inocula have distinct incubation times. Sheep inoculated intranasally with WTD derived scrapie developed disease, but only after inoculation with the inoculum that had a scrapie-like profile. The WTD study is ongoing, but deer in both inoculation groups are positive for PrPSc by rectal mucosal biopsy. In summary, this work demonstrates that WTD are susceptible to the agent of scrapie, two distinct molecular profiles of PrPSc are present in the tissues of affected deer, and inoculum of either profile readily passes to deer.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASESCWD STATUS OF CAPTIVE HERDS Updated January 2023
10/2017 3Y Male, harvested at Waupaca County WI Iowa WTD Breeder Yes Yes 107 Depopulated
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion 111 Wild Deer Positive To Date
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Update 91 Positive as of December 3, 2020
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
Iowa Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Cases Climb To 89 positive To Date in Wild Cervid
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
Iowa CWD TSE Prion 2019/20 (confirmed or suspect) 43 cases to date Wild Cervid
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019
Iowa Two Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease Found at Deer Farms
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2018
Iowa DNR Wayne County Confirms CWD with 7 additional CWD positive tests so far from deer in northeast from 2017 season
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016
IOWA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION TOTAL TO DATE 304 CASES WILD AND CAPTIVE REPORT UPDATE JULY 2016
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2018
Iowa DNR Wayne County Confirms CWD with 7 additional CWD positive tests so far from deer in northeast from 2017 season
TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018
Iowa Preliminary CWD TSE Prion Minimal Low Testing Reports 2 Confirmed With 5 Suspects To Date for 2017 Season
TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2017
Iowa 12 deer test positive for chronic wasting disease from 2016-17 hunting seasons
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2017
Iowa Clayton County deer tests positive for chronic wasting disease
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017
IOWA DNR CONFIRMS 9 CASES CWD from hunter-harvested deer from near Harpers Ferry during the 2016 hunting seasons
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016
IOWA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION TOTAL TO DATE 304 CASES WILD AND CAPTIVE REPORT UPDATE JULY 2016 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2017
Iowa Supreme Court rules law allows quarantine of CWD deer, not land
This is very, very concerning imo.
IF this ruling is upheld as such ;
''The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the district court ruling — saying the law gives the DNR only the authority to quarantine the deer — not the land. The ruling says if the Iowa Legislature wants to expand the quarantine powers as suggested by the DNR, then it is free to do so.''
IF a 'precedent' is set as such, by the Legislature not intervening to expand quarantine powers to the DNR for CWD TSE Prion, and the precedent is set as such that the cervid industry and land there from, once contaminated with the CWD TSE Prion, are free to repopulate, sell the land, etc, imo, this will blow the lid off any containment efforts of this damn disease CWD TSE Prion. The Iowa Supreme Court did not just pass the cwd buck down the road, the Supreme Court of Iowa just threw the whole state of Iowa under the bus at 100 MPH. all those healthy deer, while the litigation was going on, well, they were incubating the cwd tse prion, loading up the land even more, and in the end, 79.8% of those healthy looking deer had CWD TSE Prion. what about the exposure to the other species that come across that land, and then off to some other land? this makes no sense to me, if this is set in stone and the Legislation does not stop it, and stop if fast, any containment of the cwd tse prion will be futile, imo...terry
FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017
Iowa Supreme Court rules law allows quarantine of CWD deer, not land
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
IOWA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE FOUND AT A DEER FARM IN BUCHANAN COUNTY
Friday, July 29, 2016
IOWA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION TOTAL TO DATE 304 CASES WILD AND CAPTIVE REPORT UPDATE JULY 2016
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2016
IOWA CHRONIC WASTING TSE PRION DISEASE UPDATE
Transmission of Cervid Prions to Humanized Mice Demonstrates the Zoonotic Potential of CWD
Samia Hannaouia, Irina Zemlyankinaa, Sheng Chun Changa, Maria Immaculata Arifina, Vincent Béringueb, Debbie McKenziec, Hermann M. Schatzla, and Sabine Gilcha
aDepartment of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Hotchkiss Brain Institute; University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; bUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, UVSQ, VIM, Jouy-en-Josas, France; cDepartment of Biological Sciences, Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of cervids, spreads efficiently among wild and farmed animals. Potential transmission to humans of CWD is a growing concern due to its increasing prevalence. Here, we aimed to determine the zoonotic potential of CWD using a mouse model for human prion diseases.
Material and Methods: Transgenic mice overexpressing human PrPChomozygous for methionine at codon 129 (tg650) were inoculated intracerebrally with brain homogenates of white-tailed deer infected with Wisc-1/CWD1 or 116AG CWD strains. Mice were monitored for clinical signs and were euthanized at terminal disease. Brains were tested by RT-QuIC, western blot upon PK digestion, and immunohistochemistry; fecal homogenates were analyzed by RT-QuIC. Brain/spinal cord and fecal homogenates of CWD-inoculated tg650 mice were inoculated into tg650 mice or bank voles. Brain homogenates of bank voles inoculated with fecal homogenates of CWD-infected tg650 mice were used for second passage in bank voles.
Results: Here, we provide the strongest evidence supporting the zoonotic potential of CWD prions, and their possible phenotype in humans. Inoculation of mice expressing human PrPCwith deer CWD isolates (strains Wisc-1 and 116AG) resulted in atypical clinical manifestations in > 75% of the mice, with myoclonus as leading clinical sign. Most of tg650 brain homogenates were positive for seeding activity in RT-QuIC. Clinical disease and presentation was transmissible to tg650 mice and bank voles. Intriguingly, protease-resistant PrP in the brain of tg650 mice resembled that found in a familial human prion disease and was transmissible upon passage. Abnormal PrP aggregates upon infection with Wisc-1 were detectable in thalamus, hypothalamus, and midbrain/pons regions.
Unprecedented in human prion disease, feces of CWD-inoculated tg650 mice harbored prion seeding activity and infectious prions, as shown by inoculation of bank voles and tg650 with fecal homogenates.
Conclusions: This is the first evidence that CWD can infect humans and cause disease with a distinctive clinical presentation, signature, and tropism, which might be transmissible between humans while current diagnostic assays might fail to detect it. These findings have major implications for public health and CWD-management.
Funded by: We are grateful for financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Institutes of Health, Genome Canada, and the Alberta Prion Research Institute. SG is supported by the Canada Research Chairs program.
Acknowledgement: We thank Dr. Trent Bollinger, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, for providing brain tissue from the WTD-116AG isolate, Dr. Stéphane Haïk, ICM, Paris, France, for providing brain tissue from vCJD and sCJD cases, and Dr. Umberto Agrimi, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy, for the bank vole model. We thank animal facility staff for animal care, Dr. Stephanie Anderson for veterinary oversight, and Yo-Ching Cheng for preparing recombinant PrP substrates. Thank you to Dr. Stephanie Booth and Jennifer Myskiw, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada.
P35
ADAPTATION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) INTO HAMSTERS, EVIDENCE OF A WISCONSIN STRAIN OF CWD
Chad Johnson1, Judd Aiken2,3,4 and Debbie McKenzie4,5 1 Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI, USA 53706 2 Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences, 3 Alberta Veterinary Research Institute, 4.Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, 5 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada T6G 2P5
The identification and characterization of prion strains is increasingly important for the diagnosis and biological definition of these infectious pathogens. Although well-established in scrapie and, more recently, in BSE, comparatively little is known about the possibility of prion strains in chronic wasting disease (CWD), a disease affecting free ranging and captive cervids, primarily in North America. We have identified prion protein variants in the white-tailed deer population and demonstrated that Prnp genotype affects the susceptibility/disease progression of white-tailed deer to CWD agent. The existence of cervid prion protein variants raises the likelihood of distinct CWD strains. Small rodent models are a useful means of identifying prion strains. We intracerebrally inoculated hamsters with brain homogenates and phosphotungstate concentrated preparations from CWD positive hunter-harvested (Wisconsin CWD endemic area) and experimentally infected deer of known Prnp genotypes. These transmission studies resulted in clinical presentation in primary passage of concentrated CWD prions. Subclinical infection was established with the other primary passages based on the detection of PrPCWD in the brains of hamsters and the successful disease transmission upon second passage. Second and third passage data, when compared to transmission studies using different CWD inocula (Raymond et al., 2007) indicate that the CWD agent present in the Wisconsin white-tailed deer population is different than the strain(s) present in elk, mule-deer and white-tailed deer from the western United States endemic region.
www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf
PRION CONFERENCE 2009
Prion special issue related to the III International Symposium on “The New Prion Biology
SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2023
Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD
SEE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS;
''Here, we provide evidence for a zoonotic potential of CWD prions, and its probable signature using mice expressing human prion protein (PrP) as an infection model.''
''Furthermore, the presence of infectious prions in feces is concerning because if this occurs in humans, it is a source for human-to-human transmission.'' ''These findings have strong implications for public health and CWD management.''
''We demonstrate that this transgenic line was susceptible to infection with CWD prions and displayed a distinct leading clinical sign, an atypical PrPSc signature and unusual fecal shedding of infectious prions.''
''Importantly, these prions generated by the human PrP transgenic mice were transmissible upon passage.''
Our results are the first evidence of a zoonotic risk of CWD when using one of the most common CWD strains, Wisc-1/CWD1 for ''infection. ''
''Our findings strongly suggest that CWD should be regarded as an actual public health risk. Here, we use humanized mice to show that CWD prions can cross the species barrier to humans, and remarkably, infectious prions can be excreted in feces.''
''Indeed, such heterogeneity and distinct seeding activities and infectivity of abnormal PrP fragments was observed in VPSPr cases [20, 43].''
''This implies a high risk of exposure to this strain, e.g., through consumption or handling of infected carcasses, in contrast to rarer CWD strains, and therefore, an actual risk for human health.''
''Fecal shedding of infectious prions, if it occurs in humans, is particularly concerning because of potential human-to-human transmission and adaptation of hCWD.''
Overall, our findings suggest that CWD surveillance in humans should encompass a wider spectrum of tissues/organs tested and include new criteria in the diagnosis of potential patients.
***> PLEASE NOTE;
''Our results indicate that if CWD crosses the species-barrier to humans, it is unlikely to resemble the most common forms of human prion diseases with respect to clinical signs, tissue tropism and PrPSc signature. For instance, PrPSc in variable protease-sensitive prionopathy (VPSPr), a sporadic form of human prion disease, and in the genetic form Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) is defned by an atypical PK-resistant PrPSc fragment that is non-glycosylated and truncated at both C- and N-termini, with a molecular weight between 6 and 8 kDa [24, 44–46]. These biochemical features are unique and distinctive from PrPSc (PrP27-30) found in most other human or animal prion disease. The atypical PrPSc signature detected in brain homogenate of tg650 mice #321 (1st passage) and #3063 (2nd passage), and the 7–8 kDa fragment (Figs. 2, 4) are very similar to that of GSS, both in terms of migration profle and the N-terminal cleavage site.''
snip...
''CWD in humans might remain subclinical but with PrPSc deposits in the brain with an unusual morphology that does not resemble the patterns usually seen in different prion diseases (e.g., mouse #328; Fig. 3), clinical with untraceable abnormal PrP (e.g., mouse #327) but still transmissible and uncovered upon subsequent passage (e.g., mouse #3063; Fig. 4), or prions have other reservoirs than the usual ones, hence the presence of infectivity in feces (e.g., mouse #327) suggesting a potential for human-to-human transmission and a real iatrogenic risk that might be unrecognizable. Here, humanized mice inoculated with CWD deer isolates had an atypical onset of the disease with myoclonus (93.75%), before presenting typical clinical signs, generating prions that presented with either atypical biochemical signature (#321 and #3063), shed in feces (#327), or were undetectable by the classical detection methods. The fact that we could not establish a strong correlation between disease manifestation in tg650 mice inoculated with Wisc-1- or 116AG-CWD and the presence of abnormal PrP (Western blot, IHC or RTQuIC) might be explained by the presence of heterogeneous prions in the brains of infected mice with diferent seeding properties in vitro. Indeed, such heterogeneity and distinct seeding activities and infectivity of abnormal PrP fragments was observed in VPSPr cases [20, 43].''
VPSPr, GSS, and CWD zoonosis, concerns there from, where did i hear this concern before?
1. Even though human TSE‐exposure risk through consumption of game from European cervids can be assumed to be minor, if at all existing, no final conclusion can be drawn due to the overall lack of scientific data. In particular the US data do not clearly exclude the possibility of human (sporadic or familial) TSE development due to consumption of venison. The Working Group thus recognizes a potential risk to consumers if a TSE would be present in European cervids. It might be prudent considering appropriate measures to reduce such a risk, e.g. excluding tissues such as CNS and lymphoid tissues from the human food chain, which would greatly reduce any potential risk for consumers. However, it is stressed that currently, no data regarding a risk of TSE infections from cervid products are available.
Heterozygosity for cervid S138N polymorphism results in subclinical CWD in gene-targeted mice and progressive inhibition of prion conversion
HIGHLIGHT
However, prion seeding activity was detected in spleens, brains, and feces of these mice, suggesting subclinical infection accompanied by prion shedding.
Infected animals accumulate prions in lymphoreticular and other peripheral tissues, e.g., skeletal muscle, and shed infectious prions in saliva, urine and feces, contributing to direct and environmental transmission and rapidly increasing geographic distribution of CWD (9–12).
However, prion-seeding activity was detectable in the brain, spleen, and feces, indicating subclinical infection and potential for contagiousness.
Heterozygosity for cervid S138N polymorphism results in subclinical CWD in gene-targeted mice and progressive inhibition of prion conversion
Maria I. Arifin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2042-3492, Lech Kaczmarczyk https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2747-3134, Doris Zeng https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2512-6227, +7, and Sabine Gilch https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5923-3464 sgilch@ucalgary.caAuthors Info & Affiliations Edited by Reed Wickner, NIH, Bethesda, MD;
received December 12, 2022; accepted March 6, 2023
April 4, 2023
120 (15) e2221060120
Significance
Amino acid substitutions within the cervid prion protein (PrP) can decrease susceptibility to chronic wasting disease, generally with more prominent effects in homozygous animals. Using novel gene-targeted mouse models expressing S138N reindeer/caribou PrP, we demonstrate subclinical infection with prion seeding activity in spleen and fecal prion shedding in heterozygous 138SN and homozygous 138NN mice. A lower percentage of heterozygous 138SN-PrP than homozygous 138NN-PrP expressing mice harbored seeding-efficient prions in tissues. This is caused by dominant-negative interference of the PrP variants occurring only if they are coexpressed. Our findings are relevant to inform conservation efforts for caribou, an endangered species in North America. Furthermore, our study provides new mechanistic insights into genetic resistance and dominant-negative interference of conversion-competent PrP variants.
Abstract
Prions are proteinaceous infectious particles that replicate by structural conversion of the host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrPC), causing fatal neurodegenerative diseases in mammals. Species-specific amino acid substitutions (AAS) arising from single nucleotide polymorphisms within the prion protein gene (Prnp) modulate prion disease pathogenesis, and, in several instances, reduce susceptibility of homo- or heterozygous AAS carriers to prion infection. However, a mechanistic understanding of their protective effects against clinical disease is missing. We generated gene-targeted mouse infection models of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a highly contagious prion disease of cervids. These mice express wild-type deer or PrPC harboring the S138N substitution homo- or heterozygously, a polymorphism found exclusively in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus spp.) and fallow deer (Dama dama). The wild-type deer PrP-expressing model recapitulated CWD pathogenesis including fecal shedding. Encoding at least one 138N allele prevented clinical CWD, accumulation of protease-resistant PrP (PrPres) and abnormal PrP deposits in the brain tissue. However, prion seeding activity was detected in spleens, brains, and feces of these mice, suggesting subclinical infection accompanied by prion shedding. 138N-PrPC was less efficiently converted to PrPres in vitro than wild-type deer (138SS) PrPC. Heterozygous coexpression of wild-type deer and 138N-PrPC resulted in dominant-negative inhibition and progressively diminished prion conversion over serial rounds of protein misfolding cyclic amplification. Our study indicates that heterozygosity at a polymorphic Prnp codon can confer the highest protection against clinical CWD and highlights the potential role of subclinical carriers in CWD transmission.
snip...
To conclude, our study demonstrates that CWD-infected animals harboring S138N PrP might be “silent spreaders” of CWD prions and highlights the importance of lymphatic tissues in the detection of CWD, particularly in caribou, even in the absence of clinical manifestation. It is important to keep in mind that even protective genotypes may be permissive to certain minor or newly emerging CWD strains. Our results provide new mechanistic insights into dominant-negative inhibition of prion conversion, the tissue specificity of this effect, and suggests that PrPC primary structure is a determinant for tissue-specific prion replication.
A CAPTIVE CWD HERD IS A TIME BOMB WAITING TO GO OFF!
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASESCWD STATUS OF CAPTIVE HERDS
Chronic wasting disease detection in environmental and biological samples from a taxidermy site
Paulina Sotoa,b, J. Hunter Reedc, Mitch Lockwoodc, and Rodrigo Moralesa,b
aDepartment of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA; bUniversidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile; cTexas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas, USA
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting captive and free-ranging cervids (e.g., mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, reindeer, and moose). Nowadays, CWD is widely distributed in North America. It is suggested that CWD spreads due to direct animal contact or through exposure to contaminated environments previously inhabited by infected animals. CWD may also be spread through the movement of infected animals and carcasses. Taxidermy practices involve processing deer tissues (or whole animal carcasses). In many cases, the CWD status of processed animals is unknown. This can generate risks of disease spread and transmission. Taxidermy practices include different steps involving physical, chemical, and biological procedures. Without proper tissue handling or disposal practices, taxidermist facilities may become a focus of prion infectivity.
Aims: In this study, we evaluated the presence of infectious prions in a taxidermy facility believed to be exposed to CWD. Detection was performed using the Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) technique in biological and inert environmental samples.
Methods: We collected biological and environmental samples (plants, soils, insects, excreta, and others) from a taxidermy facility, and we tested these samples using the PMCA technique. In addition, we swabbed different surfaces possibly exposed to CWD-infected animals. For the PMCA reaction, we directly used a swab piece or 10 µL of 20% w/v homogenized samples.
Results: The PMCA analysis demonstrated CWD seeding activity in some of the components of this facility, including insects involved in head processing, soils, and a trash dumpster.
Conclusions: Different areas of this property were used for various taxidermy procedures. We were able to detect the presence of prions in i) soils that were in contact with the heads of dead animals, ii) insects involved in the cleaning of skulls, and iii) an empty dumpster where animal carcasses were previously placed. This is the first report demonstrating that swabbing is a helpful method to screen for prion infectivity on surfaces potentially contaminated with CWD. These findings are relevant as this swabbing and amplification strategy may be used to evaluate the disease status of other free-ranging and captive settings where there is a concern for CWD transmissions, such as at feeders and water troughs with CWD-exposed properties. This approach could have substantial implications for free-ranging cervid surveillance as well as in epidemiological investigations of CWD.
Funded by: USDA
Grant number: AP20VSSPRS00C143
PRION 2022 ABSTRACTS, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO
On behalf of the Prion2020/2022 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we heartily invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2020/2022 from 13.-16. September 2022 in Göttingen.
Prion 2022 Conference abstracts: pushing the boundaries
Large-scale PMCA screening of retropharyngeal lymph nodes and in white-tailed deer and comparisons with ELISA and IHC: the Texas CWD study
Rebeca Benaventea, Paulina Sotoa, Mitch Lockwoodb, and Rodrigo Moralesa aDepartment of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA; bTexas Park and Wildlife Department, Texas, USA
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that affects various species of cervids, and both free-ranging and captive animals. Until now, CWD has been detected in 3 continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. CWD prevalence in some states may reach 30% of total animals. In Texas, the first case of CWD was reported in a free-range mule deer in Hudspeth and now it has been detected in additional 14 counties. Currently, the gold standard techniques used for CWD screening and detection are ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of obex and retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLN). Unfortunately, these methods are known for having a low diagnostic sensitivity. Hence, many CWD-infected animals at pre-symptomatic stages may be misdiagnosed. Two promising in vitro prion amplification techniques, including the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) have been used to diagnose CWD and other prion diseases in several tissues and bodily fluids. Considering the low cost and speed of RT-QuIC, two recent studies have communicated the potential of this technique to diagnose CWD prions in RPLN samples. Unfortunately, the data presented in these articles suggest that identification of CWD positive samples is comparable to the currently used ELISA and IHC protocols. Similar studies using the PMCA technique have not been reported.
Aims: Compare the CWD diagnostic potential of PMCA with ELISA and IHC in RPLN samples from captive and free-range white-tailed deer. Material and Methods: In this study we analyzed 1,003 RPLN from both free-ranging and captive white-tailed deer collected in Texas. Samples were interrogated with the PMCA technique for their content of CWD prions. PMCA data was compared with the results obtained through currently approved techniques.
Results: Our results show a 15-fold increase in CWD detection in free-range deer compared with ELISA. Our results unveil the presence of prion infected animals in Texas counties with no previous history of CWD. In the case of captive deer, we detected a 16% more CWD positive animals when compared with IHC. Interestingly, some of these positive samples displayed differences in their electroforetic mobilities, suggesting the presence of different prion strains within the State of Texas.
Conclusions: PMCA sensitivity is significantly higher than the current gold standards techniques IHC and ELISA and would be a good tool for rapid CWD screening.
Funded by: USDA
Grant number: AP20VSSPRS00C143
PRION 2022 ABSTRACTS, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO On behalf of the Prion2020/2022 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we heartily invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2020/2022 from 13.-16. September 2022 in Göttingen.
Prion 2022 Conference abstracts: pushing the boundaries
Shedding of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Multiple Excreta Throughout Disease Course in White-tailed Deer
Nathaniel D. Denkersa, Erin E. McNultya, Caitlyn N. Krafta, Amy V. Nallsa, Joseph A. Westricha, Wilfred Goldmannb, Candace K. Mathiasona, and Edward A. Hoovera
aPrion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; bDivision of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute and the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) now infects cervids in South Korea, North America, and Scandinavia. CWD is unique in its efficient transmission and shedding of prions in body fluids throughout long course infections. Questions remain as to the magnitude of shedding and the route of prion acquisition. As CWD continues to expand, the need to better understand these facets of disease becomes more pertinent. The purpose of the studies described was to define the longitudinal shedding profile of CWD prions in urine, saliva, and feces throughout the course of infection in white-tailed deer.
Material and Methods: Twelve (12) white-tailed deer were inoculated with either 1 mg or 300ng of CWD. Urine, saliva, and feces were collected every 3-month post-inoculation (MPI) throughout the study duration. Cohorts were established based on PNRP genotype: codon 96 GG (n = 6) and alternate codons 96 GS (n = 5) & 103NT (n = 1). Urine and saliva were analyzed using iron-oxide magnetic extraction (IOME) and real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC)(IQ). Feces were subjected to IOME, followed by 4 rounds protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) with products analyzed by RT-QuIC (IPQ). To determine whether IPQ may be superior to IQ, a subset of urine and saliva were also tested by IPQ. Results were compared with clinical disease status.
Results: Within the 96 GG cohort, positive seeding activity was detected in feces from all deer (100%), in saliva from 5 of 6 (83%), and in urine from 4 of 6 (66%). Shedding in all excreta occurred at, or just after, the first positive tonsil biopsy result. In the 96 GS/103NT cohort, positive seeding activity could be detected in feces from 3 of 6 (50%) deer, saliva in 2 of 6 (33%), and urine in 1 of 6 (16%). Shedding in excreta was detected >5 months after the first tonsil positive result. Four of six 96 GG deer developed clinical signs of CWD, whereas only 2 of the 96 GS/103NT did. Shedding was more frequently detected in deer with clinical disease. The IPQ protocol did not significantly improve detection in saliva or urine samples, however, it significantly augmented detection in feces by eliminating non-specific background commonly experienced with IQ. Negative control samples remained negative in samples tested.
Conclusions: These studies demonstrate: (a) CWD prion excretion occurs throughout infection; (2) PRNP genotype (GG≫GS/NT) influences the excreta shedding; and (3) detection sensitivity in excreta can vary with different RT-QuIC protocols. These results provide a more complete perspective of prion shedding in deer during the course of CWD infection.
Funded by: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Grant number: RO1-NS061902-09 R to EAH, PO1-AI077774 to EAH, and R01-AI112956-06 to CKM
Acknowledgement: We abundantly thank Sallie Dahmes at WASCO and David Osborn and Gino D’Angelo at the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources for their long-standing support of this work through provision of the hand-raised, CWD-free, white-tailed deer used in these studies
Carrot plants as potential vectors for CWD transmission
Paulina Sotoa,b, Francisca Bravo-Risia,b, Claudio Sotoa, and Rodrigo Moralesa,b
aDepartment of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA; bUniversidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
Prion diseases are infectious neurodegenerative disorders afflicting humans and other mammals. These diseases are generated by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein into a disease-causing isoform. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prevalent prion disease affecting cervids (captive and free-range). CWD is thought to be transmitted through direct animal contact or by indirect exposure to contaminated environments. Many studies have shown that infectious prions can enter the environment through saliva, feces, or urine from infected animals and decaying carcasses. However, we do not fully understand the specific contribution of each component to disease transmission events. Plants are logical environmental components to be evaluated since they grow in environments contaminated with CWD prions and are relevant for animal and human nutrition.
Aims: The main objective of this study is to study whether prions are transported to the roots and leaves of carrots, an edible plant commonly used in the human diet and as deer bait.
Methods: We have grown carrot plants in CWD-infected soils. After 90 days, we harvested the carrots and separated them from the leaves. The experiment was controlled by growing plants in soil samples treated with brain extracts from healthy animals. These materials were interrogated for their prion seeding activity using the Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) technique. Infectivity was evaluated in mouse bioassays (intracerebral injections in Tg1536 mice). The animals were sacrificed when they showed established signs of prion disease. Animals not displaying clinical signs were sacrificed at 600 days post-inoculation.
Results: The PMCA analysis demonstrated CWD seeding activity in soils contaminated with CWD prions, as well as in carrot plants (leaves and roots) grown on them. Bioassays demonstrated that both leaves and roots contained CWD prions in sufficient quantities to induce disease (92% attack rate). As expected, animals treated with prion-infected soils developed prion disease at shorter incubation periods (and complete attack rates) compared to plant components. Animals treated with soil and plant components exposed with CWD-free brain extracts did not display prion-associated clinical signs or evidence of sub-clinical prion infection.
Conclusions: We show that edible plant components can absorb prions from CWD contaminated soils and transport them to their aerial parts. Our results indicate that plants could participate as vectors of CWD transmission. Importantly, plants designated for human consumption represent a risk of introducing CWD prions into the human food chain.
Funded by: NIH
Grant number: R01AI132695
October 6th-12th, 126th Meeting 2022 Resolutions
RESOLUTION NUMBER: 30 Approved
SOURCE: COMMITTEE ON WILDLIFE
SUBJECT MATTER: Chronic Wasting Disease Carcass Disposal Dumpster Management and Biosecurity
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
State and tribal wildlife agencies may identify collection points (dumpsters) within an identified chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zone for the disposal of hunter-harvested cervid carcasses to remove potentially infected carcasses off the landscape for disposal by an approved method (Gillin & Mawdsley, 2018, chap.14). However, depending on their placement and maintenance these dumpsters could potentially increase the risk of CWD transmission.
In several different states, photographic evidence has shown dumpsters in state identified CWD management zones overflowing with deer carcasses and limbs scattered on the land nearby. This could provide an opportunity for scavengers to potentially move infected carcass material to non-infected zones or increase contamination of the ground material around the dumpster’s location.
Federal guidance does not explicitly address uniform standards for collection locations for carcasses of free-ranging cervids; however, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services Program Standards on CWD outlines procedures for carcass disposal, equipment sanitation, and decontamination of premises for captive cervid facilities.
RESOLUTION:
The United States Animal Health Association urges the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), Wildlife Health Committee to further refine the AFWA Technical Report on Best Management Practices for Prevention, Surveillance, and Management of Chronic Wasting Disease; Chapter 14, Carcass Disposal to address the placement and management of chronic wasting disease carcass disposal dumpsters or other carcass collection containers.
Reference:
1. Gillin, Colin M., and Mawdsley, Jonathan R. (eds.). 2018. AFWA Technical Report on Best Management Practices for Surveillance, Management and Control of Chronic Wasting Disease. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Washington, D. C. 111 pp.
ENVIRONMENT FACTORS FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF CWD TSE PRP
Sensitive detection of chronic wasting disease prions recovered from environmentally relevant surfaces
Environment International
Available online 13 June 2022, 107347
Environment International
Sensitive detection of chronic wasting disease prions recovered from environmentally relevant surfaces
Qi Yuana Gag e Rowdenb Tiffany M.Wolfc Marc D.Schwabenlanderb Peter A.LarsenbShannon L.Bartelt-Huntd Jason C.Bartza
a Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, 68178, United States of America
b Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, United States of America
c Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, United States of America
d Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Peter Kiewit Institute, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Omaha, Nebraska, 68182, United States of America
Received 26 April 2022, Revised 8 June 2022, Accepted 9 June 2022, Available online 13 June 2022.
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Under a Creative Commons license Open access
Highlights • An innovative method for prion recovery from swabs was developed.
• Recovery of prions decreased as swab-drying time was increased.
• Recovery of CWD prions from stainless steel and glass was approximately 30%.
• RT-QuIC enhanced CWD prion detection by 4 orders of magnitude.
• Surface-recovered CWD prion was sufficient for efficient RT-QuIC detection.
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in 30 states in the United States, four provinces in Canada, and recently emerged in Scandinavia. The association of CWD prions with environmental materials such as soil, plants, and surfaces may enhance the persistence of CWD prion infectivity in the environment exacerbating disease transmission. Identifying and quantifying CWD prions in the environment is significant for prion monitoring and disease transmission control. A systematic method for CWD prion quantification from associated environmental materials, however, does not exist. In this study, we developed an innovative method for extracting prions from swabs and recovering CWD prions swabbed from different types of surfaces including glass, stainless steel, and wood. We found that samples dried on swabs were unfavorable for prion extraction, with the greatest prion recovery from wet swabs. Using this swabbing technique, the recovery of CWD prions dried to glass or stainless steel was approximately 30% in most cases, whereas that from wood was undetectable by conventional prion immunodetection techniques. Real-time quake-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) analysis of these same samples resulted in an increase of the detection limit of CWD prions from stainless steel by 4 orders of magnitude. More importantly, the RT-QuIC detection of CWD prions recovered from stainless steel surfaces using this method was similar to the original CWD prion load applied to the surface. This combined surface swabbing and RT-QuIC detection method provides an ultrasensitive means for prion detection across many settings and applications.
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5. Conclusions
Chronic wasting disease is spreading in North America and it is hypothesized that in CWD-endemic areas environmental persistence of CWD prions can exacerbate disease transmission. The development of a sensitive CWD prion detection method from environmentally relevant surfaces is significant for monitoring, risk assessment, and control of CWD. In this study, we developed a novel swab-extraction procedure for field deployable sampling of CWD prions from stainless steel, glass, and wood. We found that extended swab-drying was unfavorable for extraction, indicating that hydrated storage of swabs after sampling aided in prion recovery. Recoverable CWD prions from stainless steel and glass was approximately 30%, which was greater than from wood. RT-QuIC analysis of the swab extracts resulted in an increase of the detection limit of CWD prions from stainless steel by 4 orders of magnitude compared to conventional immunodetection techniques. More importantly, the RT-QuIC detection of CWD prions recovered from stainless steel surfaces using this developed method was similar to the original CWD prion load without surface contact. This method of prion sampling and recovery, in combination with ultrasensitive detection methods, allows for prion detection from contaminated environmental surfaces.
Research Paper
Cellular prion protein distribution in the vomeronasal organ, parotid, and scent glands of white-tailed deer and mule deer
Anthony Ness, Aradhana Jacob, Kelsey Saboraki, Alicia Otero, Danielle Gushue, Diana Martinez Moreno, Melanie de Peña, Xinli Tang, Judd Aiken, Susan Lingle & Debbie McKenzie ORCID Icon show less
Pages 40-57 | Received 03 Feb 2022, Accepted 13 May 2022, Published online: 29 May 2022
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ABSTRACT
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious and fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting species of the cervidae family. CWD has an expanding geographic range and complex, poorly understood transmission mechanics. CWD is disproportionately prevalent in wild male mule deer and male white-tailed deer. Sex and species influences on CWD prevalence have been hypothesized to be related to animal behaviours that involve deer facial and body exocrine glands. Understanding CWD transmission potential requires a foundational knowledge of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) in glands associated with cervid behaviours. In this study, we characterized the presence and distribution of PrPC in six integumentary and two non-integumentary tissues of hunter-harvested mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus). We report that white-tailed deer expressed significantly more PrPC than their mule deer in the parotid, metatarsal, and interdigital glands. Females expressed more PrPC than males in the forehead and preorbital glands. The distribution of PrPC within the integumentary exocrine glands of the face and legs were localized to glandular cells, hair follicles, epidermis, and immune cell infiltrates. All tissues examined expressed sufficient quantities of PrPC to serve as possible sites of prion initial infection, propagation, and shedding.
KEYWORDS: Prion chronic wasting diseasesex differences species differences disease prevalence cervid protein expression glands
Paper
Rapid recontamination of a farm building occurs after attempted prion removal
Kevin Christopher Gough BSc (Hons), PhD Claire Alison Baker BSc (Hons) Steve Hawkins MIBiol Hugh Simmons BVSc, MRCVS, MBA, MA Timm Konold DrMedVet, PhD, MRCVS … See all authors
First published: 19 January 2019 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105054
The data illustrates the difficulty in decontaminating farm buildings from scrapie, and demonstrates the likely contribution of farm dust to the recontamination of these environments to levels that are capable of causing disease.
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This study clearly demonstrates the difficulty in removing scrapie infectivity from the farm environment. Practical and effective prion decontamination methods are still urgently required for decontamination of scrapie infectivity from farms that have had cases of scrapie and this is particularly relevant for scrapiepositive goatherds, which currently have limited genetic resistance to scrapie within commercial breeds.24 This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
***>This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
***> Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years
***> Nine of these recurrences occurred 14–21 years after culling, apparently as the result of environmental contamination, but outside entry could not always be absolutely excluded.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY Volume 87, Issue 12
Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years Free
Gudmundur Georgsson1, Sigurdur Sigurdarson2, Paul Brown3
Front. Vet. Sci., 14 September 2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2015.00032
Objects in contact with classical scrapie sheep act as a reservoir for scrapie transmission
imageTimm Konold1*, imageStephen A. C. Hawkins2, imageLisa C. Thurston3, imageBen C. Maddison4, imageKevin C. Gough5, imageAnthony Duarte1 and imageHugh A. Simmons1
The findings of this study highlight the role of field furniture used by scrapie-infected sheep to act as a reservoir for disease re-introduction although infectivity declines considerably if the field furniture has not been in contact with scrapie-infected sheep for several months. PMCA may not be as sensitive as VRQ/VRQ sheep to test for environmental contamination.
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Discussion
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In conclusion, the results in the current study indicate that removal of furniture that had been in contact with scrapie-infected animals should be recommended, particularly since cleaning and decontamination may not effectively remove scrapie infectivity (31), even though infectivity declines considerably if the pasture and the field furniture have not been in contact with scrapie-infected sheep for several months. As sPMCA failed to detect PrPSc in furniture that was subjected to weathering, even though exposure led to infection in sheep, this method may not always be reliable in predicting the risk of scrapie infection through environmental contamination.
***> 172. Establishment of PrPCWD extraction and detection methods in the farm soil
Kyung Je Park, Hoo Chang Park, In Soon Roh, Hyo Jin Kim, Hae-Eun Kang and Hyun Joo Sohn
Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea
Conclusions: Our studies showed that PrPCWD persist in 0.001% CWD contaminated soil for at least 4 year and natural CWD-affected farm soil. When cervid reintroduced into CWD outbreak farm, the strict decontamination procedures of the infectious agent should be performed in the environment of CWD-affected cervid habitat.
THE tse prion aka mad cow type disease is not your normal pathogen.
The TSE prion disease survives ashing to 600 degrees celsius, that’s around 1112 degrees farenheit.
you cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat.
you can take the ash and mix it with saline and inject that ash into a mouse, and the mouse will go down with TSE.
Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel Production as well.
the TSE prion agent also survives Simulated Wastewater Treatment Processes.
IN fact, you should also know that the TSE Prion agent will survive in the environment for years, if not decades.
you can bury it and it will not go away.
The TSE agent is capable of infected your water table i.e. Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a CWD-endemic area.
it’s not your ordinary pathogen you can just cook it out and be done with.
***> that’s what’s so worrisome about Iatrogenic mode of transmission, a simple autoclave will not kill this TSE prion agent.
1: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1994 Jun;57(6):757-8
***> Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to a chimpanzee by electrodes contaminated during neurosurgery.
Gibbs CJ Jr, Asher DM, Kobrine A, Amyx HL, Sulima MP, Gajdusek DC.
Laboratory of Central Nervous System Studies, National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD 20892.
Stereotactic multicontact electrodes used to probe the cerebral cortex of a middle aged woman with progressive dementia were previously implicated in the accidental transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) to two younger patients. The diagnoses of CJD have been confirmed for all three cases. More than two years after their last use in humans, after three cleanings and repeated sterilisation in ethanol and formaldehyde vapour, the electrodes were implanted in the cortex of a chimpanzee. Eighteen months later the animal became ill with CJD. This finding serves to re-emphasise the potential danger posed by reuse of instruments contaminated with the agents of spongiform encephalopathies, even after scrupulous attempts to clean them.
PMID: 8006664 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
New studies on the heat resistance of hamster-adapted scrapie agent: Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic template of replication
Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel Production
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021
Evaluation of the application for new alternative biodiesel production process for rendered fat including Category 1 animal by-products (BDI-RepCat® process, AT) ???
Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a CWD-endemic area
A Quantitative Assessment of the Amount of Prion Diverted to Category 1 Materials and Wastewater During Processing
Rapid assessment of bovine spongiform encephalopathy prion inactivation by heat treatment in yellow grease produced in the industrial manufacturing process of meat and bone meals
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
BSE infectivity survives burial for five years with only limited spread
5 or 6 years quarantine is NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR CWD TSE PRION !!!
QUARANTINE NEEDS TO BE 21 YEARS FOR CWD TSE PRION !
FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021
Should Property Evaluations Contain Scrapie, CWD, TSE PRION Environmental Contamination of the land?
***> Confidential!!!!
***> As early as 1992-3 there had been long studies conducted on small pastures containing scrapie infected sheep at the sheep research station associated with the Neuropathogenesis Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland. Whether these are documented...I don't know. But personal recounts both heard and recorded in a daily journal indicate that leaving the pastures free and replacing the topsoil completely at least 2 feet of thickness each year for SEVEN years....and then when very clean (proven scrapie free) sheep were placed on these small pastures.... the new sheep also broke out with scrapie and passed it to offspring. I am not sure that TSE contaminated ground could ever be free of the agent!! A very frightening revelation!!!
---end personal email---end...tss
and so it seems...
Scrapie Agent (Strain 263K) Can Transmit Disease via the Oral Route after Persistence in Soil over Years
Published: May 9, 2007
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Our results showed that 263K scrapie agent can persist in soil at least over 29 months. Strikingly, not only the contaminated soil itself retained high levels of infectivity, as evidenced by oral administration to Syrian hamsters, but also feeding of aqueous soil extracts was able to induce disease in the reporter animals. We could also demonstrate that PrPSc in soil, extracted after 21 months, provides a catalytically active seed in the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) reaction. PMCA opens therefore a perspective for considerably improving the detectability of prions in soil samples from the field.
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Dr. Paul Brown Scrapie Soil Test BSE Inquiry Document
Published: 06 September 2021
***> Chronic wasting disease: a cervid prion infection looming to spillover
Alicia Otero, Camilo Duque Velásquez, Judd Aiken & Debbie McKenzie
Veterinary Research volume 52, Article number: 115 (2021)
PRION CONFERENCE 2022 ABSTRACTS CWD TSE PrP ZOONOSIS
Transmission of prion infectivity from CWD-infected macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
Samia Hannaouia, Ginny Chenga, Wiebke Wemheuerb, Walter J. Schulz-Schaefferb, Sabine Gilcha, and Hermann M. Schätzla aDepartment of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Hotchkiss Brain Institute; University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; bInstitute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease of cervids. Its rapid geographic expansion, shedding of infectivity and persistence in the environment for many years are of concern for humans. Here, we provide the first evidence by transmission experiments to different transgenic mouse models and bank voles that Cynomolgus macaques inoculated via different routes with CWD-positive cervid tissues harbor infectious prions that elicit clinical disease in rodents.
Material and Methods: We used tissue materials from macaques inoculated with CWD to inoculate transgenic mice overexpressing cervid PrPCfollowed by transmission into bank voles. We used RT-QuIC, immunoblot and PET blot analysis to assess brains, spinal cords, and tissues of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) for the presence of prions.
Results: Our results show that of the macaque materials that induced clinical disease in transgenic mice,73% were from the CNS (46% spinal cord and 27% brain), and 27% were from the spleen, although attack rates were low around 20%. Clinical mice did not display PK-resistant PrPSc(PrPres) in immunoblot, but showed low-levels of prion seeding activity. Transmission into bank voles from clinical transgenic mice led to a 100% attack rate with typical PrPressignature in immunoblot, which was different from that of voles inoculated directly with CWD or scrapie prions. High-level prion seeding activity in brain and spinal cord and PrPresdeposition in the brain were present. Remarkably, we also found prion seeding activity in GIT tissues of inoculated voles. Second passage in bank voles led to a 100% attack rate in voles inoculated with brain, spinal cord and small intestine material from first round animals, with PrPresin immunoblot, prion seeding activity, and PrPresdeposition in the brain. Shortened survival times indicate adaptation in the new host. This also shows that prions detected in GIT tissues are infectious and transmissible. Transmission of brain material from sick voles back to cervidized mice revealed transmission in these mice with a 100% attack rate, and interestingly, with different biochemical signature and distribution in the brain.
Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that macaques, considered the best model for the zoonotic potential of prions, were infected upon CWD challenge, including oral one. The disease manifested as atypical in macaques and transgenic mice, but with infectivity present at all times, as unveiled in the bank vole model with an unusual tissue tropism.
Funded by: The National Institutes of Health, USA, and the Alberta Prion Research Institute/Alberta Innovates Canada. Grant number: 1R01NS121016-01; 201,600,023
Acknowledgement: We thank Umberto Agrimi, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy, and Michael Beekes, Robert-Koch Institute Berlin, Germany, for providing the bank vole model. We thank the University of Calgary animal facility staff and Dr. Stephanie Anderson for animal care.
Transmission of Cervid Prions to Humanized Mice Demonstrates the Zoonotic Potential of CWD
Samia Hannaouia, Irina Zemlyankinaa, Sheng Chun Changa, Maria Immaculata Arifina, Vincent Béringueb, Debbie McKenziec, Hermann M. Schatzla, and Sabine Gilcha
aDepartment of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Hotchkiss Brain Institute; University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; bUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, UVSQ, VIM, Jouy-en-Josas, France; cDepartment of Biological Sciences, Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of cervids, spreads efficiently among wild and farmed animals. Potential transmission to humans of CWD is a growing concern due to its increasing prevalence. Here, we aimed to determine the zoonotic potential of CWD using a mouse model for human prion diseases.
Material and Methods: Transgenic mice overexpressing human PrPChomozygous for methionine at codon 129 (tg650) were inoculated intracerebrally with brain homogenates of white-tailed deer infected with Wisc-1/CWD1 or 116AG CWD strains. Mice were monitored for clinical signs and were euthanized at terminal disease. Brains were tested by RT-QuIC, western blot upon PK digestion, and immunohistochemistry; fecal homogenates were analyzed by RT-QuIC. Brain/spinal cord and fecal homogenates of CWD-inoculated tg650 mice were inoculated into tg650 mice or bank voles. Brain homogenates of bank voles inoculated with fecal homogenates of CWD-infected tg650 mice were used for second passage in bank voles.
Results: Here, we provide the strongest evidence supporting the zoonotic potential of CWD prions, and their possible phenotype in humans. Inoculation of mice expressing human PrPCwith deer CWD isolates (strains Wisc-1 and 116AG) resulted in atypical clinical manifestations in > 75% of the mice, with myoclonus as leading clinical sign. Most of tg650 brain homogenates were positive for seeding activity in RT-QuIC. Clinical disease and presentation was transmissible to tg650 mice and bank voles. Intriguingly, protease-resistant PrP in the brain of tg650 mice resembled that found in a familial human prion disease and was transmissible upon passage. Abnormal PrP aggregates upon infection with Wisc-1 were detectable in thalamus, hypothalamus, and midbrain/pons regions.
Unprecedented in human prion disease, feces of CWD-inoculated tg650 mice harbored prion seeding activity and infectious prions, as shown by inoculation of bank voles and tg650 with fecal homogenates.
Conclusions: This is the first evidence that CWD can infect humans and cause disease with a distinctive clinical presentation, signature, and tropism, which might be transmissible between humans while current diagnostic assays might fail to detect it. These findings have major implications for public health and CWD-management.
Funded by: We are grateful for financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Institutes of Health, Genome Canada, and the Alberta Prion Research Institute. SG is supported by the Canada Research Chairs program.
Acknowledgement: We thank Dr. Trent Bollinger, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, for providing brain tissue from the WTD-116AG isolate, Dr. Stéphane Haïk, ICM, Paris, France, for providing brain tissue from vCJD and sCJD cases, and Dr. Umberto Agrimi, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy, for the bank vole model. We thank animal facility staff for animal care, Dr. Stephanie Anderson for veterinary oversight, and Yo-Ching Cheng for preparing recombinant PrP substrates. Thank you to Dr. Stephanie Booth and Jennifer Myskiw, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada.
The chronic wasting disease agent from white-tailed deer is infectious to humanized mice after passage through raccoons
Eric Cassmanna, Xu Qib, Qingzhong Kongb, and Justin Greenleea
aNational Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA bDepartments of Pathology, Neurology, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, and National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Aims: Evaluate the zoonotic potential of the raccoon passaged chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent in humanized transgenic mice in comparison with the North American CWD agent from the original white-tailed deer host.
Material and Methods: Pooled brain material (GG96) from a CWD positive herd was used to oronasally inoculate two white-tailed deer with wild-type prion protein genotype and intracranially inoculate a raccoon. Brain homogenates (10% w/v) from the raccoon and the two white-tailed deer were used to intracranially inoculate separate groups of transgenic mice that express human prion protein with methionine (M) at codon 129 (Tg40h). Brains and spleens were collected from mice at experimental endpoints of clinical disease or approximately 700 days post-inoculation. Tissues were divided and homogenized or fixed in 10% buffered neutral formalin. Immunohistochemistry, enzyme immunoassay, and western blot were used to detect misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) in tissue.
Results: Humanized transgenic mice inoculated with the raccoon passaged CWD agent from white-tailed deer exhibited a 100% (12/12) attack rate with an average incubation period of 605 days. PrPScwas detected in brain tissue by enzyme immunoassay with an average optical density of 3.6/4.0 for positive brains. PrPScalso was detected in brain tissue by western blot and immunohistochemistry. No PrPScwas detected in the spleens of mice inoculated with the raccoon passaged CWD agent. Humanized mice inoculated with the CWD agent from white-tailed deer did not have detectable PrPScusing conventional immunoassay techniques.
Conclusions: The host range of the CWD agent from white-tailed deer was expanded in our experimental model after one passage through raccoons.
Funded by: This research was funded in its entirety by congressionally appropriated funds to the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. The funders of the work did not influence study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Acknowledgement: We thank Quazetta Brown, Lexi Frese, Rylie Frese, Kevin Hassall, Leisa Mandell, and Trudy Tatum for providing excellent technical support to this project.
Stable and highly zoonotic cervid prion strain is possible
Manuel Camacho, Xu Qi, Liuting Qing, Sydney Smith, Jieji Hu, Wanyun Tao, Ignazio Cali, and Qingzhong Kong Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
Aims: Whether CWD prions can infect humans remains unclear despite the very substantial scale and long history of human exposure of CWD in some areas. Multiple in vitro conversion experiments and in vivo animal studies suggest that the CWD-to-human transmission barrier is not unbreakable. A major public health concern on CWD zoonosis is the emergence of highly zoonotic CWD strains. We aim to address the question of whether highly zoonotic CWD strains are possible.
Material and Methods: We inoculated a few sCJD brain samples into cervidized transgenic mice, which were intended as negative controls for bioassays of brain tissues from sCJD cases who had hunted or consumed vension from CWD-endemic states. Some of these mice became infected and their brain tissues were further examined by serial passages in humanized or cervidized mice.
Results: Passage of sCJDMM1 in transgenic mice expressing elk PrP (Tg12) resulted in a ‘cervidized’ CJD strain that we termed CJDElkPrP. We observed 100% transmission of CJDElkPrPin transgenic mice expressing human PrP (Tg40h). We passaged CJDElkPrPtwo more times in the Tg12 mice. We found that such second and third passage CJDElkPrPprions also led to 100% infection in the Tg40h mice. In contrast, we and others found zero or poor transmission of natural elk CWD isolates in humanized mice, despite that natural elk CWD isolates and CJDElkPrPshare the same elk PrP sequence.
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that highly zoonotic cervid prion strains are not only possible but also can be stably maintained in cervids and that CWD zoonosis is prion strain-dependent.
Funded by: NIH
Grant number: R01NS052319, R01NS088604, R01NS109532
Acknowledgement: We want to thank the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center and Drs. Allen Jenny and Katherine O’Rourke for providing the sCJD samples and the CWD samples, respectively.
Adaptation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prion strains in hosts with different PRNP genotypes
Camilo Duque Velasqueza,c, Elizabeth Triscotta,c, Chiye Kima,c, Diana Morenoa,c, Judd Aikenb,c, and Debbie McKenziea,c
aDepartment of Biological Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G8, Canada; bDepartment of Agriculture, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G8, Canada; cCentre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
Aims: The contagious nature of CWD epizootics and the PrPCamino acid variation of cervids (and susceptible sympatric species) guarantee the expansion of prion conformational diversity and selective landscapes where new strains can arise. CWD strains can have novel transmission properties including altered host range that may increase zoonotic risk as circulating strains diversify and evolve. We are characterizing the host adaptability of characterized CWD strains as well as CWD isolates from different cervid species in various enzootic regions.
Material and Methods: Characterized CWD strains as well as a number of isolates from hunter-harvested deer were bioassayed in our rodent panel (transgenic mice expressing cervid alleles G96, S96 and H95-PrPC, elk PrPC, bovine PrPC, and both hamsters and non-transgenic laboratory mice). Strain characteristics were compared using computer based scoring of brain pathology (e.g. PrPCWDbrain distribution), western blot and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA).
Results: Transmission of various isolates resulted in the selection of strain mixtures in hosts expressing similar PrPC, particularly for polymorphic white-tailed deer and for Norwegian reindeer. As of the second passage, transmission of P153 moose prions from Norway has not resulted in emergence of strains with properties similar to any North American CWD strains in our taxonomic collection (Wisc-1, CWD2, H95+and 116AG).
Conclusions: Our data indicates polymorphic white-tailed deer can favor infection with more than one strain. Similar to transmission studies of Colorado CWD isolates from cervids expressing a single PrPCprimary structure, the isolate from Norway reindeer (V214) represents a strain mixture, suggesting intrinsic strain diversity in the Nordfjella epizootic. The diversity of CWD strains with distinct transmission characteristics represents a threat to wildlife, sympatric domestic animals and public health.
Funded by: Genome Canada and Genome Alberta (Alberta Prion Research Institute and Alberta Agriculture & Forestry); NSERC Grant number: #LSARP 10205; NSERC RGPIN-2017-05539
Acknowledgement: We would like to thank Margo Pybus (Alberta Environment and Parks) Trent Bollinger (University of Saskatchewan) for providing us with tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer and Sylvie Benestad for providing moose and reindeer samples.
Application of PMCA to understand CWD prion strains, species barrier and zoonotic potential
Sandra Pritzkowa, Damian Gorskia, Frank Ramireza, Fei Wanga, Glenn C. Tellingb, Justin J. Greenleec, Sylvie L. Benestadd, and Claudio Sotoa aDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; bDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; cVirus and Prion Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA; dNorwegian Veterinary Institute, OIE Reference Laboratory for CWD, Ås, Norway
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting various species of cervids that continues to spread uncontrollably across North America and has recently been detected in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden and Finland). The mechanisms responsible for the natural transmission of CWD are largely unknown. Furthermore, the risk of CWD transmission to other species, including humans, is also unknown and remains a dangerous enigma. In this study, we investigated the potential of CWD prions to infect several other animal species (sheep, cattle, pig, hamster, and mouse) including humans, by examining their capacity to convert the normal prion protein of distinct species in a PMCA reaction. Moreover, we also investigated whether the in vivo passage of CWD through intermediate species alters their capacity for zoonotic transmission, which may represent a major hazard to human health.
Material and Methods: For these studies, we used brain material from CWD-infected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus canadensis), and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) as species native to North America. We also used CWD-infected Moose (Alces alces), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) as Norwegian cervids. We also used brains from cattle, sheep and pigs experimentally infected by CWD. To study interspecies-transmission and zoonotic potential, samples were tested via PMCA for the conversion of PrPCinto PrPScusing different combinations of inoculum and host species. Based on these analyses we estimated the spillover and zoonotic potential for different CWD isolates. We define and quantify spillover and zoonotic potential indices as the efficiency by which CWD prions sustain prion generation in vitro at the expense of normal prion proteins from various mammals and human, respectively.
Results: Our results show that prions from some cervid species, especially those found in Northern Europe, have a higher potential to transmit disease characteristics to other animals. Conversely, CWD-infected cervids originated in North America appear to have a greater potential to generate human PrPSc. We also found that in vivo transmission of CWD to cattle, but not to sheep or pigs substantially increases the ability of these prions to convert human PrPCby PMCA.
Conclusions: Our findings support the existence of different CWD prion strains with distinct spillover and zoonotic potentials. We also conclude that transmission of CWD to other animal species may increase the risk for CWD transmission to humans. Our studies may provide a tool to predict the array of animal species that a given CWD prion could affect and may contribute to understanding the risk of CWD for human health.
Funded by: National Institute of Health Grant number: P01 AI077774
Generation of human chronic wasting disease in transgenic mice
Zerui Wanga, Kefeng Qinb, Manuel V. Camachoa, Ignazio Cali a,c, Jue Yuana, Pingping Shena, Tricia Gillilanda, Syed Zahid Ali Shaha, Maria Gerasimenkoa, Michelle Tanga, Sarada Rajamanickama, Anika Yadatia, Lawrence B. Schonbergerd, Justin Greenleee, Qingzhong Konga,c, James A. Mastriannib, and Wen-Quan Zoua,c
aDepartment of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA; bDepartment of Neurology and Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders, the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, USA; cNational Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; dDivision of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA; eVirus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Ames, IA, USA
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) results from the accumulation of an infectious misfolded conformer (PrPSc) of cellular prion protein (PrPC) in the brains of deer and elk. It has been spreading rapidly throughout many regions of North America, exported inadvertently to South Korea, and more recently identified in Europe. Mad cow disease has caused variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans and is currently the only known zoonotic prion disease. Whether CWD is transmissible to humans remains uncertain. The aims of our study were not only to confirm whether CWD prion isolates can convert human brain PrPCinto PrPScin vitro by serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA) but also to determine whether the sPMCA-induced CWD-derived human PrPScis infectious.
Material and Methods: Eight CWD prion isolates from 7 elks and 1 deer were used as the seeds while normal human brain homogenates containing either PrP-129 MM (n = 2) or PrP-129 VV (n = 1) were used as the substrates for sPMCA assay. A normal elk brain tissue sample was used as a negative control seed. Two lines of humanized transgenic (Tg) mice expressing either human PrP-129VV or −129 MM polymorphism were included for transmission studies to determine the infectivity of PMCA-amplified PrPSc. Wester blotting and immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin & eosin staining were used for determining PrPScand neuropathological changes of inoculated animals.
Results: We report here the generation of the first CWD-derived infectious human PrPScusing elk CWD PrPScto initiate conversion of human PrPCfrom normal human brain homogenates with PMCA in vitro. Western blotting with a human PrP selective antibody confirmed that the PMCA-generated protease-resistant PrPScwas derived from the human brain PrPCsubstrate. Two lines of humanized transgenic mice expressing human PrPCwith either Val or Met at the polymorphic codon 129 developed clinical prion disease following intracerebral inoculation with the PMCA-generated CWD-derived human PrPSc. Diseased mice exhibited distinct PrPScpatterns and neuropathological changes in the brain.
Conclusions: Our study, using PMCA and animal bioassays, provides the first evidence that CWD PrPSchas the potential to overcome the species barrier and directly convert human PrPCinto infectious PrPScthat can produce bona fide prion disease when inoculated into humanized transgenic mice.
Funded by: CJD Foundation and NIH
Mortality surveillance of persons potentially exposed to chronic wasting disease
R.A. Maddoxa, R.F. Klosb, L.R. Willb, S.N. Gibbons-Burgenerb, A. Mvilongoa, J.Y. Abramsa, B.S. Applebyc, L.B. Schonbergera, and E.D. Belaya aNational Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA; bWisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS), Division of Public Health, Madison, USA; cNational Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
Aims: It is unknown whether chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of cervids, can infect people, but consumption of meat from infected animals would be the most likely route of transmission. Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health (WDHS) personnel maintain a database consisting of information collected from hunters who reported eating, or an intention to eat, venison from CWD-positive cervids. These data, collected since 2003, allow for the evaluation of causes of mortality in individuals potentially exposed to CWD.
Material and Methods: The WDHS database contains the name, date of birth, when available, year of CWD-positive deer harvest, and city and state of residence for each potentially exposed individual. The database also includes information on how the deer was processed (self-processed or by a commercial operator) and when applicable, names of others with whom the venison was shared. Duplicate entries (i.e., those who consumed venison from CWD-positive deer in multiple hunt years) are determined by first name, last name, and date of birth. All names in the database are cross-checked with reported cases of human prion disease in Wisconsin and cases in the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC) diagnostic testing database. Persons with date of birth available are also cross-checked with prion disease decedents identified through restricted-use national multiple cause-of-death data via a data use agreement with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Results: The database currently consists of 1561 records for hunt years 2003–2017 and 87 additional records for 2018–2019. Of these, 657 records have accompanying date of birth; 15 entries were removed as duplicates leaving 642 unique individuals. Of these individuals, 278 of 426 (66%) who ate venison from a CWD-positive deer and provided processing information reported self-processing. No matches were found among any persons in the database cross-checked with WDHS human prion disease surveillance data, NPDPSC data (February 2022 update), and NCHS data through 2020.
Conclusions: Because of the linkage of person and CWD-positive animal in the WDHS database, reviewing the cause of mortality in potentially exposed persons is possible. The number of individuals cross-checked so far is likely only a small percentage of those potentially exposed to CWD in Wisconsin, and many more years of vital status tracking are needed given an expected long incubation period should transmission to humans occur. Nevertheless, the findings of this ongoing review are thus far reassuring.
Prion disease incidence, United States, 2003–2020
R.A. Maddoxa, M.K. Persona, K. Kotobellib, A. Mvilongoa, B.S. Applebyb, L.B. Schonbergera, T.A. Hammetta, J.Y. Abramsa, and E.D. Belaya aNational Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA; bNational Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
Aims: Mortality data, in conjunction with neuropathological and genetic testing results, are used to estimate prion disease incidence in the United States.
Material and Methods: Prion disease decedents for 2003–2020 were identified from restricted-use U.S. national multiple cause-of-death data, via a data use agreement with the National Center for Health Statistics, and from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC) database. NPDPSC decedents with neuropathological or genetic test results positive for prion disease for whom no likely match was found in the NCHS multiple cause-of-death data were added as cases for incidence calculations, while those with negative neuropathology results but with cause-of-death data indicating prion disease were removed. Unmatched cases in the NPDPSC database lacking neuropathological testing but with a positive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) test result were additionally assessed. Age-specific and age-adjusted average annual incidence rates were calculated from the combined data; the year 2000 as the standard population and the direct method were used for age-adjustment.
Results: A total of 7,921 decedents were identified as having prion disease during 2003–2020 for an age-adjusted average annual incidence of 1.2 per million population. The age-adjusted incidence between males and females (1.3 and 1.1 per million, respectively) differed significantly (p < 0.0001). The age-specific average annual incidence among those <55 and ≥55 years of age was 0.2 and 4.8 per million, respectively; incidence among those ≥65 was 6.1 per million. Eighteen cases were <30 years of age for an age-specific incidence of 8.0 per billion; only 6 of these very young cases were sporadic (3 sporadic CJD, 3 sporadic fatal insomnia), with the rest being familial (9), variant (2), or iatrogenic (1). The age-adjusted annual incidence for the most recent year of data, 2020, was 1.3 per million. However, assessment of RT-QuIC positive cases lacking neuropathology in the NPDPSC database suggested that approximately 20% more cases may have occurred in that year; the addition of a subset of these cases that had date of death information available (n = 44) increased the 2020 rate to 1.4 per million.
Conclusions: Mortality data supplemented with the results of neuropathological, CSF RT-QuIC, and genetic testing can be used to estimate prion disease incidence. However, the identification in the NPDPSC database of RT-QuIC-positive cases lacking date of death information suggests that this strategy may exclude a number of probable prion disease cases. Prion disease cases <30 years of age, especially those lacking a pathogenic mutation, continue to be very rare.
Shedding of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Multiple Excreta Throughout Disease Course in White-tailed Deer
Nathaniel D. Denkersa, Erin E. McNultya, Caitlyn N. Krafta, Amy V. Nallsa, Joseph A. Westricha, Wilfred Goldmannb, Candace K. Mathiasona, and Edward A. Hoovera
aPrion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; bDivision of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute and the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) now infects cervids in South Korea, North America, and Scandinavia. CWD is unique in its efficient transmission and shedding of prions in body fluids throughout long course infections. Questions remain as to the magnitude of shedding and the route of prion acquisition. As CWD continues to expand, the need to better understand these facets of disease becomes more pertinent. The purpose of the studies described was to define the longitudinal shedding profile of CWD prions in urine, saliva, and feces throughout the course of infection in white-tailed deer.
Material and Methods: Twelve (12) white-tailed deer were inoculated with either 1 mg or 300ng of CWD. Urine, saliva, and feces were collected every 3-month post-inoculation (MPI) throughout the study duration. Cohorts were established based on PNRP genotype: codon 96 GG (n = 6) and alternate codons 96 GS (n = 5) & 103NT (n = 1). Urine and saliva were analyzed using iron-oxide magnetic extraction (IOME) and real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC)(IQ). Feces were subjected to IOME, followed by 4 rounds protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) with products analyzed by RT-QuIC (IPQ). To determine whether IPQ may be superior to IQ, a subset of urine and saliva were also tested by IPQ. Results were compared with clinical disease status.
Results: Within the 96 GG cohort, positive seeding activity was detected in feces from all deer (100%), in saliva from 5 of 6 (83%), and in urine from 4 of 6 (66%). Shedding in all excreta occurred at, or just after, the first positive tonsil biopsy result. In the 96 GS/103NT cohort, positive seeding activity could be detected in feces from 3 of 6 (50%) deer, saliva in 2 of 6 (33%), and urine in 1 of 6 (16%). Shedding in excreta was detected >5 months after the first tonsil positive result. Four of six 96 GG deer developed clinical signs of CWD, whereas only 2 of the 96 GS/103NT did. Shedding was more frequently detected in deer with clinical disease. The IPQ protocol did not significantly improve detection in saliva or urine samples, however, it significantly augmented detection in feces by eliminating non-specific background commonly experienced with IQ. Negative control samples remained negative in samples tested.
Conclusions: These studies demonstrate: (a) CWD prion excretion occurs throughout infection; (2) PRNP genotype (GG≫GS/NT) influences the excreta shedding; and (3) detection sensitivity in excreta can vary with different RT-QuIC protocols. These results provide a more complete perspective of prion shedding in deer during the course of CWD infection.
Funded by: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Grant number: RO1-NS061902-09 R to EAH, PO1-AI077774 to EAH, and R01-AI112956-06 to CKM
Acknowledgement: We abundantly thank Sallie Dahmes at WASCO and David Osborn and Gino D’Angelo at the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources for their long-standing support of this work through provision of the hand-raised, CWD-free, white-tailed deer used in these studies
Large-scale PMCA screening of retropharyngeal lymph nodes and in white-tailed deer and comparisons with ELISA and IHC: the Texas CWD study
Rebeca Benaventea, Paulina Sotoa, Mitch Lockwoodb, and Rodrigo Moralesa
aDepartment of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA; bTexas Park and Wildlife Department, Texas, USA
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that affects various species of cervids, and both free-ranging and captive animals. Until now, CWD has been detected in 3 continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. CWD prevalence in some states may reach 30% of total animals. In Texas, the first case of CWD was reported in a free-range mule deer in Hudspeth and now it has been detected in additional 14 counties. Currently, the gold standard techniques used for CWD screening and detection are ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of obex and retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLN). Unfortunately, these methods are known for having a low diagnostic sensitivity. Hence, many CWD-infected animals at pre-symptomatic stages may be misdiagnosed. Two promising in vitro prion amplification techniques, including the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) have been used to diagnose CWD and other prion diseases in several tissues and bodily fluids. Considering the low cost and speed of RT-QuIC, two recent studies have communicated the potential of this technique to diagnose CWD prions in RPLN samples. Unfortunately, the data presented in these articles suggest that identification of CWD positive samples is comparable to the currently used ELISA and IHC protocols. Similar studies using the PMCA technique have not been reported.
Aims: Compare the CWD diagnostic potential of PMCA with ELISA and IHC in RPLN samples from captive and free-range white-tailed deer. Material and Methods: In this study we analyzed 1,003 RPLN from both free-ranging and captive white-tailed deer collected in Texas. Samples were interrogated with the PMCA technique for their content of CWD prions. PMCA data was compared with the results obtained through currently approved techniques.
Results: Our results show a 15-fold increase in CWD detection in free-range deer compared with ELISA. Our results unveil the presence of prion infected animals in Texas counties with no previous history of CWD. In the case of captive deer, we detected a 16% more CWD positive animals when compared with IHC. Interestingly, some of these positive samples displayed differences in their electroforetic mobilities, suggesting the presence of different prion strains within the State of Texas.
Conclusions: PMCA sensitivity is significantly higher than the current gold standards techniques IHC and ELISA and would be a good tool for rapid CWD screening.
Funded by: USDA
Grant number: AP20VSSPRS00C143
ATYPRION project: assessing the zoonotic potential of interspecies transmission of CWD isolates to livestock (preliminary results).
Enric Vidala,b, Juan Carlos Espinosac, Samanta Gilera,b, Montserrat Ordóñeza,b, Guillermo Canteroa,b, Vincent Béringued, Justin J. Greenleee, and Juan Maria Torresc
aUnitat mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA). Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Catalonia; bIRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA). Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Catalonia; cCentro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA-CSIC, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain; dMolecular Virology and Immunology, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France; eVirus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, ARS, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
Aims: Since variant Creutzfeldt-Jackob disease was linked to the consumption of bovine spongiform encephalopathy prions, the study of the pathobiological features of animal prions, particularly their zoonotic potential, is of great concern to the scientific community and public health authorities. Furthermore, interspecies transmission of prions has been demonstrated as a putative evolutionary mechanism for prions, that can lead to the emergence of new features including the ability to infect humans. For instance, small ruminants’ atypical scrapie prions, when propagated in a bovine or porcine host, can shift to a classical BSE phenotype thus posing a potential risk in case of human exposure. So far, no hard evidence of zoonotic transmission of cervids’ chronic wasting disease (CWD) to humans has been published, however experimental transmission to bovine, ovine and caprine hosts has been achieved. Our goal is to investigate if, once passaged through these domestic species, CWD prions might become infectious to humans.
Material and Methods: Different CWD isolates experimentally adapted to cattle, sheep and goat (Hamir et al, 2005, 2006, 2007, Greenlee et al 2012) have been intracerebrally inoculated to transgenic mouse models expressing the human cellular prion protein either homozygous for methionine or valine at codon 129 (Tg340-Met129 and Tg362-Val129). Additionally, inocula obtained from experimental transmission of elk CWD to ovinized (Tg501) and bovinized (BoTg110) transgenic mice, as well as white-tailed deer CWD to BoTg110 mice, are currently being bioassayed in both human PrPCtransgenic models.
Results and conclusions: No evidence of transmission has been found on first passage for bovine adapted elk and mule deer CWD to none of the humanized models. The remaining bioassays are ongoing without showing clinical signs yet, as well as second passages for the negative 1stpassages.
Funded by: La Marató de TV3 foundation. Grant number: ATYPRION (201,821–30-31-32)
Prion Conference 2018 Abstracts
P190 Human prion disease mortality rates by occurrence of chronic wasting disease in freeranging cervids, United States
Abrams JY (1), Maddox RA (1), Schonberger LB (1), Person MK (1), Appleby BS (2), Belay ED (1)
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA (2) Case Western Reserve University, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), Cleveland, OH, USA.
Background
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease of deer and elk that has been identified in freeranging cervids in 23 US states. While there is currently no epidemiological evidence for zoonotic transmission through the consumption of contaminated venison, studies suggest the CWD agent can cross the species barrier in experimental models designed to closely mimic humans. We compared rates of human prion disease in states with and without CWD to examine the possibility of undetermined zoonotic transmission.
Methods
Death records from the National Center for Health Statistics, case records from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, and additional state case reports were combined to create a database of human prion disease cases from 2003-2015. Identification of CWD in each state was determined through reports of positive CWD tests by state wildlife agencies. Age- and race-adjusted mortality rates for human prion disease, excluding cases with known etiology, were determined for four categories of states based on CWD occurrence: highly endemic (>16 counties with CWD identified in free-ranging cervids); moderately endemic (3-10 counties with CWD); low endemic (1-2 counties with CWD); and no CWD states. States were counted as having no CWD until the year CWD was first identified. Analyses stratified by age, sex, and time period were also conducted to focus on subgroups for which zoonotic transmission would be more likely to be detected: cases <55 years old, male sex, and the latter half of the study (2010-2015).
Results
Highly endemic states had a higher rate of prion disease mortality compared to non-CWD states (rate ratio [RR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 - 1.23), as did low endemic states (RR: 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04 - 1.27). Moderately endemic states did not have an elevated mortality rate (RR: 1.05, 95% CI = 0.93 - 1.17). In age-stratified analyses, prion disease mortality rates among the <55 year old population were elevated for moderately endemic states (RR: 1.57, 95% CI = 1.10 – 2.24) while mortality rates were elevated among those ≥55 for highly endemic states (RR: 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02 - 1.26) and low endemic states (RR: 1.16, 95% CI = 1.04 - 1.29). In other stratified analyses, prion disease mortality rates for males were only elevated for low endemic states (RR: 1.27, 95% CI = 1.10 - 1.48), and none of the categories of CWD-endemic states had elevated mortality rates for the latter time period (2010-2015).
Conclusions
While higher prion disease mortality rates in certain categories of states with CWD in free-ranging cervids were noted, additional stratified analyses did not reveal markedly elevated rates for potentially sensitive subgroups that would be suggestive of zoonotic transmission. Unknown confounding factors or other biases may explain state-by-state differences in prion disease mortality.
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P172 Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Prion Disease
Wang H(1), Cohen M(1), Appleby BS(1,2)
(1) University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio (2) National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Cleveland, Ohio.
Prion disease is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease due to deposition of an abnormal protease-resistant isoform of prion protein. Typical symptoms include rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonus, visual disturbance and hallucinations. Interestingly, in patients with prion disease, the abnormal protein canould also be found in the peripheral nervous system. Case reports of prion deposition in peripheral nerves have been reported. Peripheral nerve involvement is thought to be uncommon; however, little is known about the exact prevalence and features of peripheral neuropathy in patients with prion disease.
We reviewed autopsy-proven prion cases from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center that were diagnosed between September 2016 to March 2017. We collected information regarding prion protein diagnosis, demographics, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, physical exam, neuropathology, molecular subtype, genetics lab, brain MRI, image and EMG reports. Our study included 104 patients. Thirteen (12.5%) patients had either subjective symptoms or objective signs of peripheral neuropathy. Among these 13 patients, 3 had other known potential etiologies of peripheral neuropathy such as vitamin B12 deficiency or prior chemotherapy. Among 10 patients that had no other clear etiology, 3 (30%) had familial CJD. The most common sCJD subtype was MV1-2 (30%), followed by MM1-2 (20%). The Majority of cases wasere male (60%). Half of them had exposure to wild game. The most common subjective symptoms were tingling and/or numbness of distal extremities. The most common objective finding was diminished vibratory sensation in the feet. Half of them had an EMG with the findings ranging from fasciculations to axonal polyneuropathy or demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Our study provides an overview of the pattern of peripheral neuropathy in patients with prion disease. Among patients with peripheral neuropathy symptoms or signs, majority has polyneuropathy. It is important to document the baseline frequency of peripheral neuropathy in prion diseases as these symptoms may become important when conducting surveillance for potential novel zoonotic prion diseases.
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P177 PrP plaques in methionine homozygous Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients as a potential marker of iatrogenic transmission
Abrams JY (1), Schonberger LB (1), Cali I (2), Cohen Y (2), Blevins JE (2), Maddox RA (1), Belay ED (1), Appleby BS (2), Cohen ML (2)
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA (2) Case Western Reserve University, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), Cleveland, OH, USA.
Background
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is widely believed to originate from de novo spontaneous conversion of normal prion protein (PrP) to its pathogenic form, but concern remains that some reported sporadic CJD cases may actually be caused by disease transmission via iatrogenic processes. For cases with methionine homozygosity (CJD-MM) at codon 129 of the PRNP gene, recent research has pointed to plaque-like PrP deposition as a potential marker of iatrogenic transmission for a subset of cases. This phenotype is theorized to originate from specific iatrogenic source CJD types that comprise roughly a quarter of known CJD cases.
Methods
We reviewed scientific literature for studies which described PrP plaques among CJD patients with known epidemiological links to iatrogenic transmission (receipt of cadaveric human grown hormone or dura mater), as well as in cases of reported sporadic CJD. The presence and description of plaques, along with CJD classification type and other contextual factors, were used to summarize the current evidence regarding plaques as a potential marker of iatrogenic transmission. In addition, 523 cases of reported sporadic CJD cases in the US from January 2013 through September 2017 were assessed for presence of PrP plaques.
Results
We identified four studies describing 52 total cases of CJD-MM among either dura mater recipients or growth hormone recipients, of which 30 were identified as having PrP plaques. While sporadic cases were not generally described as having plaques, we did identify case reports which described plaques among sporadic MM2 cases as well as case reports of plaques exclusively in white matter among sporadic MM1 cases. Among the 523 reported sporadic CJD cases, 0 of 366 MM1 cases had plaques, 2 of 48 MM2 cases had kuru plaques, and 4 of 109 MM1+2 cases had either kuru plaques or both kuru and florid plaques. Medical chart review of the six reported sporadic CJD cases with plaques did not reveal clinical histories suggestive of potential iatrogenic transmission.
Conclusions
PrP plaques occur much more frequently for iatrogenic CJD-MM cases compared to sporadic CJDMM cases. Plaques may indicate iatrogenic transmission for CJD-MM cases without a type 2 Western blot fragment. The study results suggest the absence of significant misclassifications of iatrogenic CJD as sporadic. To our knowledge, this study is the first to describe grey matter kuru plaques in apparently sporadic CJD-MM patients with a type 2 Western blot fragment.
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P180 Clinico-pathological analysis of human prion diseases in a brain bank series
Ximelis T (1), Aldecoa I (1,2), Molina-Porcel L (1,3), Grau-Rivera O (4), Ferrer I (5), Nos C (6), Gelpi E (1,7), Sánchez-Valle R (1,4)
(1) Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital ClÃnic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (2) Pathological Service of Hospital ClÃnic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (3) EAIA Trastorns Cognitius, Centre Emili Mira, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain (4) Department of Neurology of Hospital ClÃnic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (5) Institute of Neuropathology, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (6) General subdirectorate of Surveillance and Response to Emergencies in Public Health, Department of Public Health in Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain (7) Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Background and objective:
The Neurological Tissue Bank (NTB) of the Hospital Clínic-Institut d‘Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain is the reference center in Catalonia for the neuropathological study of prion diseases in the region since 2001. The aim of this study is to analyse the characteristics of the confirmed prion diseases registered at the NTB during the last 15 years.
Methods:
We reviewed retrospectively all neuropathologically confirmed cases registered during the period January 2001 to December 2016.
Results:
176 cases (54,3% female, mean age: 67,5 years and age range: 25-86 years) of neuropathological confirmed prion diseases have been studied at the NTB. 152 cases corresponded to sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), 10 to genetic CJD, 10 to Fatal Familial Insomnia, 2 to GerstmannSträussler-Scheinker disease, and 2 cases to variably protease-sensitive prionopathy (VPSPr). Within sCJD subtypes the MM1 subtype was the most frequent, followed by the VV2 histotype.
Clinical and neuropathological diagnoses agreed in 166 cases (94%). The clinical diagnosis was not accurate in 10 patients with definite prion disease: 1 had a clinical diagnosis of Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), 1 Niemann-Pick‘s disease, 1 Lewy Body‘s Disease, 2 Alzheimer‘s disease, 1 Cortico-basal syndrome and 2 undetermined dementia. Among patients with VPSPr, 1 had a clinical diagnosis of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the other one with FTD.
Concomitant pathologies are frequent in older age groups, mainly AD neuropathological changes were observed in these subjects.
Discussion:
A wide spectrum of human prion diseases have been identified in the NTB being the relative frequencies and main characteristics like other published series. There is a high rate of agreement between clinical and neuropathological diagnoses with prion diseases. These findings show the importance that public health has given to prion diseases during the past 15 years. Continuous surveillance of human prion disease allows identification of new emerging phenotypes. Brain tissue samples from these donors are available to the scientific community. For more information please visit:
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P192 Prion amplification techniques for the rapid evaluation of surface decontamination procedures
Bruyere-Ostells L (1), Mayran C (1), Belondrade M (1), Boublik Y (2), Haïk S (3), Fournier-Wirth C (1), Nicot S (1), Bougard D (1)
(1) Pathogenesis and control of chronic infections, Etablissement Français du Sang, Inserm, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. (2) Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. (3) Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Paris, France.
Aims:
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) or prion diseases are a group of incurable and always fatal neurodegenerative disorders including Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases (CJD) in humans. These pathologies include sporadic (sCJD), genetic and acquired (variant CJD) forms. By the past, sCJD and vCJD were transmitted by different prion contaminated biological materials to patients resulting in more than 400 iatrogenic cases (iCJD). The atypical nature and the biochemical properties of the infectious agent, formed by abnormal prion protein or PrPTSE, make it particularly resistant to conventional decontamination procedures. In addition, PrPTSE is widely distributed throughout the organism before clinical onset in vCJD and can also be detected in some peripheral tissues in sporadic CJD. Risk of iatrogenic transmission of CJD by contaminated medical device remains thus a concern for healthcare facilities. Bioassay is the gold standard method to evaluate the efficacy of prion decontamination procedures but is time-consuming and expensive. Here, we propose to compare in vitro prion amplification techniques: Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) and Real-Time Quaking Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) for the detection of residual prions on surface after decontamination.
Methods:
Stainless steel wires, by mimicking the surface of surgical instruments, were proposed as a carrier model of prions for inactivation studies. To determine the sensitivity of the two amplification techniques on wires (Surf-PMCA and Surf-QuIC), steel wires were therefore contaminated with serial dilutions of brain homogenates (BH) from a 263k infected hamster and from a patient with sCJD (MM1 subtype). We then compared the different standard decontamination procedures including partially and fully efficient treatments by detecting the residual seeding activity on 263K and sCJD contaminated wires. We completed our study by the evaluation of marketed reagents endorsed for prion decontamination.
Results:
The two amplification techniques can detect minute quantities of PrPTSE adsorbed onto a single wire. 8/8 wires contaminated with a 10-6 dilution of 263k BH and 1/6 with the 10-8 dilution are positive with Surf-PMCA. Similar performances were obtained with Surf-QuIC on 263K: 10/16 wires contaminated with 10-6 dilution and 1/8 wires contaminated with 10-8 dilution are positive. Regarding the human sCJD-MM1 prion, Surf-QuIC allows us to detect 16/16 wires contaminated with 10-6 dilutions and 14/16 with 10-7 . Results obtained after decontamination treatments are very similar between 263K and sCJD prions. Efficiency of marketed treatments to remove prions is lower than expected.
Conclusions:
Surf-PMCA and Surf-QuIC are very sensitive methods for the detection of prions on wires and could be applied to prion decontamination studies for rapid evaluation of new treatments. Sodium hypochlorite is the only product to efficiently remove seeding activity of both 263K and sCJD prions.
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WA2 Oral transmission of CWD into Cynomolgus macaques: signs of atypical disease, prion conversion and infectivity in macaques and bio-assayed transgenic mice
Schatzl HM (1, 2), Hannaoui S (1, 2), Cheng Y-C (1, 2), Gilch S (1, 2), Beekes M (3), SchulzSchaeffer W (4), Stahl-Hennig C (5) and Czub S (2, 6)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary Prion Research Unit, Calgary, Canada (2) University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary, Canada, (3) Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany, (4) University of Homburg/Saar, Homburg, Germany, (5) German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany, (6) Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Lethbridge, Canada.
To date, BSE is the only example of interspecies transmission of an animal prion disease into humans. The potential zoonotic transmission of CWD is an alarming issue and was addressed by many groups using a variety of in vitro and in vivo experimental systems. Evidence from these studies indicated a substantial, if not absolute, species barrier, aligning with the absence of epidemiological evidence suggesting transmission into humans. Studies in non-human primates were not conclusive so far, with oral transmission into new-world monkeys and no transmission into old-world monkeys. Our consortium has challenged 18 Cynomolgus macaques with characterized CWD material, focusing on oral transmission with muscle tissue. Some macaques have orally received a total of 5 kg of muscle material over a period of 2 years. After 5-7 years of incubation time some animals showed clinical symptoms indicative of prion disease, and prion neuropathology and PrPSc deposition were found in spinal cord and brain of euthanized animals. PrPSc in immunoblot was weakly detected in some spinal cord materials and various tissues tested positive in RT-QuIC, including lymph node and spleen homogenates. To prove prion infectivity in the macaque tissues, we have intracerebrally inoculated 2 lines of transgenic mice, expressing either elk or human PrP. At least 3 TgElk mice, receiving tissues from 2 different macaques, showed clinical signs of a progressive prion disease and brains were positive in immunoblot and RT-QuIC. Tissues (brain, spinal cord and spleen) from these and preclinical mice are currently tested using various read-outs and by second passage in mice. Transgenic mice expressing human PrP were so far negative for clear clinical prion disease (some mice >300 days p.i.). In parallel, the same macaque materials are inoculated into bank voles. Taken together, there is strong evidence of transmissibility of CWD orally into macaques and from macaque tissues into transgenic mouse models, although with an incomplete attack rate. The clinical and pathological presentation in macaques was mostly atypical, with a strong emphasis on spinal cord pathology. Our ongoing studies will show whether the transmission of CWD into macaques and passage in transgenic mice represents a form of non-adaptive prion amplification, and whether macaque-adapted prions have the potential to infect mice expressing human PrP. The notion that CWD can be transmitted orally into both new-world and old-world non-human primates asks for a careful reevaluation of the zoonotic risk of CWD.
See also poster P103
***> The notion that CWD can be transmitted orally into both new-world and old-world non-human primates asks for a careful reevaluation of the zoonotic risk of CWD.
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WA16 Monitoring Potential CWD Transmission to Humans
Belay ED
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA.
The spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in animals has raised concerns about increasing human exposure to the CWD agent via hunting and venison consumption, potentially facilitating CWD transmission to humans. Several studies have explored this possibility, including limited epidemiologic studies, in vitro experiments, and laboratory studies using various types of animal models. Most human exposures to the CWD agent in the United States would be expected to occur in association with deer and elk hunting in CWD-endemic areas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with state health departments in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Wyoming to identify persons at risk of CWD exposure and to monitor their vital status over time. Databases were established of persons who hunted in Colorado and Wyoming and those who reported consumption of venison from deer that later tested positive in Wisconsin. Information from the databases is periodically cross-checked with mortality data to determine the vital status and causes of death for deceased persons. Long-term follow-up of these hunters is needed to assess their risk of development of a prion disease linked to CWD exposure.
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P166 Characterization of CJD strain profiles in venison consumers and non-consumers from Alberta and Saskatchewan
Stephanie Booth (1,2), Lise Lamoureux (1), Debra Sorensen (1), Jennifer L. Myskiw (1,2), Megan Klassen (1,2), Michael Coulthart (3), Valerie Sim (4)
(1) Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg (2) Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg (3) Canadian CJD Surveillance System, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa (4) Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is spreading rapidly through wild cervid populations in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. While this has implications for tourism and hunting, there is also concern over possible zoonotic transmission to humans who eat venison from infected deer. Whilst there is no evidence of any human cases of CWD to date, the Canadian CJD Surveillance System (CJDSS) in Canada is staying vigilant. When variant CJD occurred following exposure to BSE, the unique biochemical fingerprint of the pathologic PrP enabled a causal link to be confirmed. However, we cannot be sure what phenotype human CWD prions would present with, or indeed, whether this would be distinct from that see in sporadic CJD. Therefore we are undertaking a systematic analysis of the molecular diversity of CJD cases of individuals who resided in Alberta and Saskatchewan at their time of death comparing venison consumers and non-consumers, using a variety of clinical, imaging, pathological and biochemical markers. Our initial objective is to develop novel biochemical methodologies that will extend the baseline glycoform and genetic polymorphism typing that is already completed by the CJDSS. Firstly, we are reviewing MRI, EEG and pathology information from over 40 cases of CJD to select clinically affected areas for further investigation. Biochemical analysis will include assessment of the levels of protease sensitive and resistant prion protein, glycoform typing using 2D gel electrophoresis, testing seeding capabilities and kinetics of aggregation by quaking-induced conversion, and determining prion oligomer size distributions with asymmetric flow field fractionation with in-line light scattering. Progress and preliminary data will be presented. Ultimately, we intend to further define the relationship between PrP structure and disease phenotype and establish a baseline for the identification of future atypical CJD cases that may arise as a result of exposure to CWD.
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Source Prion Conference 2018 Abstracts
Volume 24, Number 8—August 2018 Research Susceptibility of Human Prion Protein to Conversion by Chronic Wasting Disease Prions
Marcelo A. BarriaComments to Author , Adriana Libori, Gordon Mitchell, and Mark W. Head Author affiliations: National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (M.A. Barria, A. Libori, M.W. Head); National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Scrapie and CWD, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (G. Mitchell)
Abstract Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious and fatal neurodegenerative disease and a serious animal health issue for deer and elk in North America. The identification of the first cases of CWD among free-ranging reindeer and moose in Europe brings back into focus the unresolved issue of whether CWD can be zoonotic like bovine spongiform encephalopathy. We used a cell-free seeded protein misfolding assay to determine whether CWD prions from elk, white-tailed deer, and reindeer in North America can convert the human prion protein to the disease-associated form. We found that prions can convert, but the efficiency of conversion is affected by polymorphic variation in the cervid and human prion protein genes. In view of the similarity of reindeer, elk, and white-tailed deer in North America to reindeer, red deer, and roe deer, respectively, in Europe, a more comprehensive and thorough assessment of the zoonotic potential of CWD might be warranted.
snip...
Discussion Characterization of the transmission properties of CWD and evaluation of their zoonotic potential are important for public health purposes. Given that CWD affects several members of the family Cervidae, it seems reasonable to consider whether the zoonotic potential of CWD prions could be affected by factors such as CWD strain, cervid species, geographic location, and Prnp–PRNP polymorphic variation. We have previously used an in vitro conversion assay (PMCA) to investigate the susceptibility of the human PrP to conversion to its disease-associated form by several animal prion diseases, including CWD (15,16,22). The sensitivity of our molecular model for the detection of zoonotic conversion depends on the combination of 1) the action of proteinase K to degrade the abundant human PrPC that constitutes the substrate while only N terminally truncating any human PrPres produced and 2) the presence of the 3F4 epitope on human but not cervid PrP. In effect, this degree of sensitivity means that any human PrPres formed during the PMCA reaction can be detected down to the limit of Western blot sensitivity. In contrast, if other antibodies that detect both cervid and human PrP are used, such as 6H4, then newly formed human PrPres must be detected as a measurable increase in PrPres over the amount remaining in the reaction product from the cervid seed. Although best known for the efficient amplification of prions in research and diagnostic contexts, the variation of the PMCA method employed in our study is optimized for the definitive detection of zoonotic reaction products of inherently inefficient conversion reactions conducted across species barriers. By using this system, we previously made and reported the novel observation that elk CWD prions could convert human PrPC from human brain and could also convert recombinant human PrPC expressed in transgenic mice and eukaryotic cell cultures (15).
A previous publication suggested that mule deer PrPSc was unable to convert humanized transgenic substrate in PMCA assays (23) and required a further step of in vitro conditioning in deer substrate PMCA before it was able to cross the deer–human molecular barrier (24). However, prions from other species, such as elk (15) and reindeer affected by CWD, appear to be compatible with the human protein in a single round of amplification (as shown in our study). These observations suggest that different deer species affected by CWD could present differing degrees of the olecular compatibility with the normal form of human PrP.
The contribution of the polymorphism at codon 129 of the human PrP gene has been extensively studied and is recognized as a risk factor for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (4). In cervids, the equivalent codon corresponds to the position 132 encoding methionine or leucine. This polymorphism in the elk gene has been shown to play an important role in CWD susceptibility (25,26). We have investigated the effect of this cervid Prnp polymorphism on the conversion of the humanized transgenic substrate according to the variation in the equivalent PRNP codon 129 polymorphism. Interestingly, only the homologs methionine homozygous seed–substrate reactions could readily convert the human PrP, whereas the heterozygous elk PrPSc was unable to do so, even though comparable amounts of PrPres were used to seed the reaction. In addition, we observed only low levels of human PrPres formation in the reactions seeded with the homozygous methionine (132 MM) and the heterozygous (132 ML) seeds incubated with the other 2 human polymorphic substrates (129 MV and 129 VV). The presence of the amino acid leucine at position 132 of the elk Prnp gene has been attributed to a lower degree of prion conversion compared with methionine on the basis of experiments in mice made transgenic for these polymorphic variants (26). Considering the differences observed for the amplification of the homozygous human methionine substrate by the 2 polymorphic elk seeds (MM and ML), reappraisal of the susceptibility of human PrPC by the full range of cervid polymorphic variants affected by CWD would be warranted.
In light of the recent identification of the first cases of CWD in Europe in a free-ranging reindeer (R. tarandus) in Norway (2), we also decided to evaluate the in vitro conversion potential of CWD in 2 experimentally infected reindeer (18). Formation of human PrPres was readily detectable after a single round of PMCA, and in all 3 humanized polymorphic substrates (MM, MV, and VV). This finding suggests that CWD prions from reindeer could be more compatible with human PrPC generally and might therefore present a greater risk for zoonosis than, for example, CWD prions from white-tailed deer. A more comprehensive comparison of CWD in the affected species, coupled with the polymorphic variations in the human and deer PRNP–Prnp genes, in vivo and in vitro, will be required before firm conclusions can be drawn. Analysis of the Prnp sequence of the CWD reindeer in Norway was reported to be identical to the specimens used in our study (2). This finding raises the possibility of a direct comparison of zoonotic potential between CWD acquired in the wild and that produced in a controlled laboratory setting. (Table).
The prion hypothesis proposes that direct molecular interaction between PrPSc and PrPC is necessary for conversion and prion replication. Accordingly, polymorphic variants of the PrP of host and agent might play a role in determining compatibility and potential zoonotic risk. In this study, we have examined the capacity of the human PrPC to support in vitro conversion by elk, white-tailed deer, and reindeer CWD PrPSc. Our data confirm that elk CWD prions can convert the human PrPC, at least in vitro, and show that the homologous PRNP polymorphisms at codon 129 and 132 in humans and cervids affect conversion efficiency. Other species affected by CWD, particularly caribou or reindeer, also seem able to convert the human PrP. It will be important to determine whether other polymorphic variants found in other CWD-affected Cervidae or perhaps other factors (17) exert similar effects on the ability to convert human PrP and thus affect their zoonotic potential.
Dr. Barria is a research scientist working at the National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit, University of Edinburgh. His research has focused on understanding the molecular basis of a group of fatal neurologic disorders called prion diseases.
Acknowledgments We thank Aru Balachandran for originally providing cervid brain tissues, Abigail Diack and Jean Manson for providing mouse brain tissue, and James Ironside for his critical reading of the manuscript at an early stage.
This report is independent research commissioned and funded by the United Kingdom’s Department of Health Policy Research Programme and the Government of Scotland. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Health or the Government of Scotland.
Author contributions: The study was conceived and designed by M.A.B. and M.W.H. The experiments were conducted by M.A.B. and A.L. Chronic wasting disease brain specimens were provided by G.M. The manuscript was written by M.A.B. and M.W.H. All authors contributed to the editing and revision of the manuscript.
Prion 2017 Conference Abstracts
First evidence of intracranial and peroral transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into Cynomolgus macaques: a work in progress Stefanie Czub1, Walter Schulz-Schaeffer2, Christiane Stahl-Hennig3, Michael Beekes4, Hermann Schaetzl5 and Dirk Motzkus6 1
University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine/Canadian Food Inspection Agency; 2Universitatsklinikum des Saarlandes und Medizinische Fakultat der Universitat des Saarlandes; 3 Deutsches Primaten Zentrum/Goettingen; 4 Robert-Koch-Institut Berlin; 5 University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; 6 presently: Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Center; previously: Deutsches Primaten Zentrum/Goettingen
This is a progress report of a project which started in 2009.
21 cynomolgus macaques were challenged with characterized CWD material from white-tailed deer (WTD) or elk by intracerebral (ic), oral, and skin exposure routes. Additional blood transfusion experiments are supposed to assess the CWD contamination risk of human blood product. Challenge materials originated from symptomatic cervids for ic, skin scarification and partially per oral routes (WTD brain). Challenge material for feeding of muscle derived from preclinical WTD and from preclinical macaques for blood transfusion experiments. We have confirmed that the CWD challenge material contained at least two different CWD agents (brain material) as well as CWD prions in muscle-associated nerves.
Here we present first data on a group of animals either challenged ic with steel wires or per orally and sacrificed with incubation times ranging from 4.5 to 6.9 years at postmortem. Three animals displayed signs of mild clinical disease, including anxiety, apathy, ataxia and/or tremor. In four animals wasting was observed, two of those had confirmed diabetes. All animals have variable signs of prion neuropathology in spinal cords and brains and by supersensitive IHC, reaction was detected in spinal cord segments of all animals. Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuiC) and PET-blot assays to further substantiate these findings are on the way, as well as bioassays in bank voles and transgenic mice.
At present, a total of 10 animals are sacrificed and read-outs are ongoing. Preclinical incubation of the remaining macaques covers a range from 6.4 to 7.10 years. Based on the species barrier and an incubation time of > 5 years for BSE in macaques and about 10 years for scrapie in macaques, we expected an onset of clinical disease beyond 6 years post inoculation.
PRION 2017 DECIPHERING NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS ABSTRACTS REFERENCE
8. Even though human TSE‐exposure risk through consumption of game from European cervids can be assumed to be minor, if at all existing, no final conclusion can be drawn due to the overall lack of scientific data. In particular the US data do not clearly exclude the possibility of human (sporadic or familial) TSE development due to consumption of venison. The Working Group thus recognizes a potential risk to consumers if a TSE would be present in European cervids. It might be prudent considering appropriate measures to reduce such a risk, e.g. excluding tissues such as CNS and lymphoid tissues from the human food chain, which would greatly reduce any potential risk for consumers. However, it is stressed that currently, no data regarding a risk of TSE infections from cervid products are available.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2019
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion and THE FEAST 2003 CDC an updated review of the science 2019
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2014
Six-year follow-up of a point-source exposure to CWD contaminated venison in an Upstate New York community: risk behaviours and health outcomes 2005–2011
Authors, though, acknowledged the study was limited in geography and sample size and so it couldn't draw a conclusion about the risk to humans. They recommended more study. Dr. Ermias Belay was the report's principal author but he said New York and Oneida County officials are following the proper course by not launching a study. "There's really nothing to monitor presently. No one's sick," Belay said, noting the disease's incubation period in deer and elk is measured in years. "
Transmission Studies
Mule deer transmissions of CWD were by intracerebral inoculation and compared with natural cases {the following was written but with a single line marked through it ''first passage (by this route)}....TSS
resulted in a more rapidly progressive clinical disease with repeated episodes of synocopy ending in coma. One control animal became affected, it is believed through contamination of inoculum (?saline). Further CWD transmissions were carried out by Dick Marsh into ferret, mink and squirrel monkey. Transmission occurred in ALL of these species with the shortest incubation period in the ferret.
snip....
Prion Infectivity in Fat of Deer with Chronic Wasting Disease▿
Brent Race#, Kimberly Meade-White#, Richard Race and Bruce Chesebro* + Author Affiliations
In mice, prion infectivity was recently detected in fat. Since ruminant fat is consumed by humans and fed to animals, we determined infectivity titers in fat from two CWD-infected deer. Deer fat devoid of muscle contained low levels of CWD infectivity and might be a risk factor for prion infection of other species.
Prions in Skeletal Muscles of Deer with Chronic Wasting Disease
Here bioassays in transgenic mice expressing cervid prion protein revealed the presence of infectious prions in skeletal muscles of CWD-infected deer, demonstrating that humans consuming or handling meat from CWD-infected deer are at risk to prion exposure.
*** now, let’s see what the authors said about this casual link, personal communications years ago, and then the latest on the zoonotic potential from CWD to humans from the TOKYO PRION 2016 CONFERENCE.
see where it is stated NO STRONG evidence. so, does this mean there IS casual evidence ???? “Our conclusion stating that we found no strong evidence of CWD transmission to humans”
From: TSS
Subject: CWD aka MAD DEER/ELK TO HUMANS ???
Date: September 30, 2002 at 7:06 am PST
From: "Belay, Ermias"
To: Cc: "Race, Richard (NIH)" ; ; "Belay, Ermias"
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 9:22 AM
Subject: RE: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS
Dear Sir/Madam,
In the Archives of Neurology you quoted (the abstract of which was attached to your email), we did not say CWD in humans will present like variant CJD.. That assumption would be wrong. I encourage you to read the whole article and call me if you have questions or need more clarification (phone: 404-639-3091). Also, we do not claim that "no-one has ever been infected with prion disease from eating venison." Our conclusion stating that we found no strong evidence of CWD transmission to humans in the article you quoted or in any other forum is limited to the patients we investigated.
Ermias Belay, M.D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-----Original Message-----
From: Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 10:15 AM
Subject: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS
Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:26 PM .......snip........end..............TSS
Thursday, April 03, 2008
A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease 2008 1: Vet Res. 2008 Apr 3;39(4):41 A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease Sigurdson CJ.
snip...
*** twenty-seven CJD patients who regularly consumed venison were reported to the Surveillance Center***,
snip... full text ;
> However, to date, no CWD infections have been reported in people.
sporadic, spontaneous CJD, 85%+ of all human TSE, did not just happen. never in scientific literature has this been proven.
if one looks up the word sporadic or spontaneous at pubmed, you will get a laundry list of disease that are classified in such a way;
sporadic = 54,983 hits https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=sporadic
spontaneous = 325,650 hits https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=spontaneous
key word here is 'reported'. science has shown that CWD in humans will look like sporadic CJD. SO, how can one assume that CWD has not already transmitted to humans? they can't, and it's as simple as that. from all recorded science to date, CWD has already transmitted to humans, and it's being misdiagnosed as sporadic CJD. ...terry
*** LOOKING FOR CWD IN HUMANS AS nvCJD or as an ATYPICAL CJD, LOOKING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES $$$ ***
> However, to date, no CWD infections have been reported in people.
key word here is ‘reported’. science has shown that CWD in humans will look like sporadic CJD. SO, how can one assume that CWD has not already transmitted to humans? they can’t, and it’s as simple as that. from all recorded science to date, CWD has already transmitted to humans, and it’s being misdiagnosed as sporadic CJD. …terry
*** LOOKING FOR CWD IN HUMANS AS nvCJD or as an ATYPICAL CJD, LOOKING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES $$$ ***
*** These results would seem to suggest that CWD does indeed have zoonotic potential, at least as judged by the compatibility of CWD prions and their human PrPC target. Furthermore, extrapolation from this simple in vitro assay suggests that if zoonotic CWD occurred, it would most likely effect those of the PRNP codon 129-MM genotype and that the PrPres type would be similar to that found in the most common subtype of sCJD (MM1).***
CWD TSE PRION AND ZOONOTIC, ZOONOSIS, POTENTIAL
Subject: Re: DEER SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY SURVEY & HOUND STUDY
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 23:12:22 +0100
From: Steve Dealler
Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Organization: Netscape Online member
To: BSE-L@ References:
Dear Terry,
An excellent piece of review as this literature is desperately difficult to get back from Government sites.
What happened with the deer was that an association between deer meat eating and sporadic CJD was found in about 1993. The evidence was not great but did not disappear after several years of asking CJD cases what they had eaten. I think that the work into deer disease largely stopped because it was not helpful to the UK industry...and no specific cases were reported. Well, if you dont look adequately like they are in USA currenly then you wont find any!
Steve Dealler ===============
''The association between venison eating and risk of CJD shows similar pattern, with regular venison eating associated with a 9 FOLD INCREASE IN RISK OF CJD (p = 0.04).''
CREUTZFELDT JAKOB DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIRD ANNUAL REPORT AUGUST 1994
Consumption of venison and veal was much less widespread among both cases and controls. For both of these meats there was evidence of a trend with increasing frequency of consumption being associated with increasing risk of CJD. (not nvCJD, but sporadic CJD...tss) These associations were largely unchanged when attention was restricted to pairs with data obtained from relatives. ...
Table 9 presents the results of an analysis of these data.
There is STRONG evidence of an association between ‘’regular’’ veal eating and risk of CJD (p = .0.01).
Individuals reported to eat veal on average at least once a year appear to be at 13 TIMES THE RISK of individuals who have never eaten veal.
There is, however, a very wide confidence interval around this estimate. There is no strong evidence that eating veal less than once per year is associated with increased risk of CJD (p = 0.51).
The association between venison eating and risk of CJD shows similar pattern, with regular venison eating associated with a 9 FOLD INCREASE IN RISK OF CJD (p = 0.04).
There is some evidence that risk of CJD INCREASES WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY OF LAMB EATING (p = 0.02).
The evidence for such an association between beef eating and CJD is weaker (p = 0.14). When only controls for whom a relative was interviewed are included, this evidence becomes a little STRONGER (p = 0.08).
snip...
It was found that when veal was included in the model with another exposure, the association between veal and CJD remained statistically significant (p = < 0.05 for all exposures), while the other exposures ceased to be statistically significant (p = > 0.05).
snip...
In conclusion, an analysis of dietary histories revealed statistical associations between various meats/animal products and INCREASED RISK OF CJD. When some account was taken of possible confounding, the association between VEAL EATING AND RISK OF CJD EMERGED AS THE STRONGEST OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS STATISTICALLY. ...
snip...
In the study in the USA, a range of foodstuffs were associated with an increased risk of CJD, including liver consumption which was associated with an apparent SIX-FOLD INCREASE IN THE RISK OF CJD. By comparing the data from 3 studies in relation to this particular dietary factor, the risk of liver consumption became non-significant with an odds ratio of 1.2 (PERSONAL COMMUNICATION, PROFESSOR A. HOFMAN. ERASMUS UNIVERSITY, ROTTERDAM). (???...TSS)
snip...see full report ;
http://web.archive.org/web/20090506050043/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1994/08/00004001.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20090506050007/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1994/10/00003001.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20090506050244/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1994/07/00001001.pdf
Stephen Dealler is a consultant medical microbiologist deal@airtime.co.uk
BSE Inquiry Steve Dealler
Management In Confidence
BSE: Private Submission of Bovine Brain Dealler
snip...see full text;
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019
***> MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN BSE, SCRAPIE, CWD, CJD, TSE PRION A REVIEW 2019
***> ''The association between venison eating and risk of CJD shows similar pattern, with regular venison eating associated with a 9 FOLD INCREASE IN RISK OF CJD (p = 0.04).''
***> In conclusion, sensory symptoms and loss of reflexes in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome can be explained by neuropathological changes in the spinal cord. We conclude that the sensory symptoms and loss of lower limb reflexes in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome is due to pathology in the caudal spinal cord. <***
***> The clinical and pathological presentation in macaques was mostly atypical, with a strong emphasis on spinal cord pathology.<***
***> The notion that CWD can be transmitted orally into both new-world and old-world non-human primates asks for a careful reevaluation of the zoonotic risk of CWD. <***
***> All animals have variable signs of prion neuropathology in spinal cords and brains and by supersensitive IHC, reaction was detected in spinal cord segments of all animals.<***
***> In particular the US data do not clearly exclude the possibility of human (sporadic or familial) TSE development due to consumption of venison. The Working Group thus recognizes a potential risk to consumers if a TSE would be present in European cervids.'' Scientific opinion on chronic wasting disease (II) <***
Friday, March 11, 2022
Prevalence of Surgical Procedures at Symptomatic Onset of Prion Disease
Research Letter Surgery
March 9, 2022
3rd CWD Zoonosis Zoonotic Science To Date
TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021
***> A Unique Presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient Consuming Deer Antler Velvet <***
Conclusion
We believe that our patient’s case of CJD is highly suspicious for cervid etiology given the circumstances of the case as well as the strong evidence of plausibility reported in published literature. This is the first known case of CJD in a patient who had consumed deer antler velvet. Despite the confirmed diagnosis of CJD, a causal relationship between the patient’s disease and his consumption of deer antler velvet cannot be definitively concluded.
Supplemental data including molecular tissue sample analysis and autopsy findings could yield further supporting evidence. Given this patient’s clinical resemblance to CBD and the known histological similarities of CBD with CJD, clinicians should consider both diseases in the differential diagnosis of patients with a similarly esoteric presentation. Regardless of the origin of this patient’s disease, it is clear that the potential for prion transmission from cervids to humans should be further investigated by the academic community with considerable urgency.
''We believe that our patient’s case of CJD is highly suspicious for cervid etiology given the circumstances of the case as well as the strong evidence of plausibility reported in published literature. This is the first known case of CJD in a patient who had consumed deer antler velvet. Despite the confirmed diagnosis of CJD, a causal relationship between the patient’s disease and his consumption of deer antler velvet cannot be definitively concluded.''
Singeltary submission to the BSE Inquiry on CJD and Nutritional Supplements 1998
ABOUT that deer antler spray and CWD TSE PRION...
I have been screaming this since my neighbors mom died from cjd, and she had been taking a supplement that contained bovine brain, bovine eyeball, and other SRMs specified risk materials, the most high risk for mad cow disease.
just saying...
I made a submission to the BSE Inquiry long ago during the BSE Inquiry days, and they seemed pretty interested.
Sender: "Patricia Cantos"
To: "Terry S Singeltary Sr. (E-mail)"
Subject: Your submission to the Inquiry
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 10:10:05 +0100
3 July 1998
Mr Terry S Singeltary Sr.
E-Mail: Flounder at wt.net
Ref: E2979
Dear Mr Singeltary,
Thank you for your E-mail message of the 30th of June 1998 providing the Inquiry with your further comments.
Thank you for offering to provide the Inquiry with any test results on the nutritional supplements your mother was taking before she died.
As requested I am sending you our general Information Pack and a copy of the Chairman's letter. Please contact me if your system cannot read the attachments.
Regarding your question, the Inquiry is looking into many aspects of the scientific evidence on BSE and nvCJD. I would refer you to the transcripts of evidence we have already heard which are found on our internet site at ;
http://www.bse.org.uk.
Could you please provide the Inquiry with a copy of the press article you refer to in your e-mail? If not an approximate date for the article so that we can locate it?
In the meantime, thank you for you comments. Please do not hesitate to contact me on...
snip...end...tss
everyone I tell this too gets it screwed up...MY MOTHER WAS NOT TAKING THOSE SUPPLEMENTS IPLEX (that I ever knew of). this was my neighbors mother that died exactly one year _previously_ and to the day of sporadic CJD that was diagnosed as Alzheimer’s at first. my mother died exactly a year later from the Heidenhain Variant of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease hvCJD, and exceedingly rare strains of the ever growing sporadic CJD’s. _both_ cases confirmed. ...kind regards, terry
TSEs i.e. mad cow disease's BSE/BASE and NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
IPLEX, mad by standard process;
vacuum dried bovine BRAIN, bone meal, bovine EYE, veal Bone, bovine liver powder, bovine adrenal, vacuum dried bovine kidney, and vacuum dried porcine stomach.
also;
what about potential mad cow candy bars ?
see their potential mad cow candy bar list too...
THESE are just a few of MANY of just this ONE COMPANY...TSS
''So, in sum, dietary supplements sold in the United States often contain ruminant tissues from undisclosed sources. Personally, I am rather squeamish and I don't think I would be eating prostate or testicle or pituitary, but I am also a little bit wary of consuming products with those glands, not just out of personal repugnance but simply out of a health concern.''
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION CENTER FOR BIOLOGICS EVALUATION AND RESEARCH
TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Friday, January 19, 2001
snip...
15 Open Public Hearing
16 DR. FREAS: We are opening the open public hearing
17 now. We have received one response to speak in this
18 afternoon's open public hearing. That is from Dr. Scott
19 Norton. If Dr. Norton is here, would you please come
20 forward. You can either use the podium or the microphone,
21 whichever is your choice.
22 DR. NORTON: I am Scott Norton and I am a
23 physician in the Washington D.C. area. I am here speaking
24 as a private citizen today.
25 I first became concerned about the presence of
231
1 tissues from ruminant animals in dietary supplements about
2 six months ago and expressed my concern in a letter that was
3 published in New England Journal of Medicine in July of Year
4 2000.
5 A couple of the products that I had looked at, and
6 examined their labels, that raised these concerns I brought
7 in right here. I will just read some of the organs that are
8 found in one that is called Male Power. Deer antler,
9 pancreas, orchic--despite what we just heard that the FDA
10 prefers the term "testicular tissue" to be written on the
11 labels, I have never seen a dietary supplement say
12 "testicle." They always say "orchis" or "orchic" which may
13 sound rather flowery to the etymologically impaired--thymus,
14 adrenal, heart, lymph node, prostate, spleen and pituitary.
15 There are actually seventeen organs in that particular
16 product.
17 There is another product that is called Brain
18 Nutrition that tells us that it is vitamins and minerals
19 essential for important brain function. It does not mention
20 that there is any glandulars on at least the bold print.
21 But if you look at the small print on the back, we learn
22 that it has brain extract and pituitary extract, raw, in
23 there.
24 We know that many of the organs that can be found
25 in the dietary supplements do fall in that list of organs
232
1 that are suspect for contamination with TSEs, the labels, in
2 nearly all cases, identify neither the animal source nor the
3 geographic location from which the organs were derived. I
4 have seen one line that did specify from New Zealand cattle
5 but no other manufacturer will list either the species or
6 the geographic location.
7 The FDA's and the USDA's import alerts that we
8 just learned about prohibit the use of these organs in
9 foods, medicines and medical devices. But my reading of the
10 alert, 17-04, suggests that DSHEA does allow some loopholes
11 for these tissues to possible slip in.
12 I will just read from 17-04 that we heard. On the
13 first page, it says that, "This alert does not establish any
14 obligations on regulated entities." I love seeing
15 legislation that starts out with that caveat.
16 Then it says, further, "The USDA regulations do
17 not apply to bovine-derived materials intended for human
18 consumption as finished dietary supplements." We also learn
19 that the prohibition, or the import alert, is limited to
20 bulk lots of these tissues, completed tissues, from BSE-
21 derived countries. It does not mention if it is not a bulk
22 import or if it is raw materials rather than finished
23 materials.
24 Further, we know that it is strongly recommended
25 but not actually prohibited in the language here. So I have
233
1 not taken the assurances from that import alert that Dr.
2 Moore was trying to convey to us.
3 So, in sum, dietary supplements sold in the United
4 States often contain ruminant tissues from undisclosed
5 sources. Personally, I am rather squeamish and I don't
6 think I would be eating prostate or testicle or pituitary,
7 but I am also a little bit wary of consuming products with
8 those glands, not just out of personal repugnance but simply
9 out of a health concern.
10 So my question to the advisory committee is this;
11 is my caution reasonable and, if it is, should we take
12 further efforts to inform, or even protect, the American
13 public from such exposure.
14 I was curious about Dr. Moore's remarks. I sensed
15 two messages. One was the initial reassurance that FDA has
16 the regulatory authority but then I also learned that it is
17 the manufacturer's responsibility to provide those
18 assurances, that the FDA doesn't actually inspect.
19 I think that the FDA commissioners from Harvey
20 Wylie to David Kessler would say that that track record has
21 proven itself.
22 Thank you very much.
23 [Applause.]
24 DR. BROWN: Thanks, Dr. Norton.
25 Committee Discussion
snip...
17 But I think that we could exhibit some quite
18 reasonable concern about blood donors who are taking dietary
19 supplements that contain a certain amount of unspecified-
20 origin brain, brain-related, brain and pituitary material.
21 If they have done this for more than a sniff or something
22 like that, then, perhaps, they should be deferred as blood
23 donors.
24 That is probably worse than spending six months in
25 the U.K.
1/19/01
3681t2.rtf(845) page 501
see actual paper;
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: METABOLIFE AND TSEs GAO-03-494 ''URGENT DATA''
Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 11:23:01 -0500
From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr."
To: NelliganJ at gao.gov
The General Accounting Office (GAO) today released the following reports and testimonies:
REPORTS
1. Dietary Supplements: Review of Health-Related Call Records for Users of Metabolife 356. GAO-03-494, March 31.
see updated url link;
GREETINGS GAO:
i was suprised that i did not see any listing of bovine tissue in metabolife on it's label. have they ceased using these desiccated tissues???
i see that the lable on this product METABOLIFE 356, does not state that it has any tissues of desiccated bovine organs? i no the product use to, so i am curious if they have ceased the use of the tissues of cattle they _use_ to use (see below)???
METABOLIFE 356 BOVINE COMPLEX/GLANDULAR SYSTEM OVARIES, PROSTATE, SCROTUM AND ADRENAL USDA SOURCE CATTLE
i tried warning them years ago of this potential threat of CJD/TSEs;
From: Randy Smith To: "'flounder at wt.net'" Subject: Metabolife Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 14:21:35 -0800
Dear Sir,
We are looking at reformulation. I agree that slow virus diseases present a problem in some areas of the world.
Our product uses healthy USDA inspected cattle for the glandular extract.
If you have any links to more information on this subject I would like to examine them.
Thank you for your interest and concern,
Dr. Smith ============
snip...
see full text ;
***Moreover, sporadic disease has never been observed in breeding colonies or primate research laboratories, most notably among hundreds of animals over several decades of study at the National Institutes of Health25, and in nearly twenty older animals continuously housed in our own facility.***
Even if the prevailing view is that sporadic CJD is due to the spontaneous formation of CJD prions, it remains possible that its apparent sporadic nature may, at least in part, result from our limited capacity to identify an environmental origin.
***Moreover, sporadic disease has never been observed in breeding colonies or primate research laboratories, most notably among hundreds of animals over several decades of study at the National Institutes of Health25, and in nearly twenty older animals continuously housed in our own facility.***
Even if the prevailing view is that sporadic CJD is due to the spontaneous formation of CJD prions, it remains possible that its apparent sporadic nature may, at least in part, result from our limited capacity to identify an environmental origin.
O.05: Transmission of prions to primates after extended silent incubation periods: Implications for BSE and scrapie risk assessment in human populations
Emmanuel Comoy, Jacqueline Mikol, Valerie Durand, Sophie Luccantoni, Evelyne Correia, Nathalie Lescoutra, Capucine Dehen, and Jean-Philippe Deslys Atomic Energy Commission; Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
Prion diseases (PD) are the unique neurodegenerative proteinopathies reputed to be transmissible under field conditions since decades. The transmission of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to humans evidenced that an animal PD might be zoonotic under appropriate conditions. Contrarily, in the absence of obvious (epidemiological or experimental) elements supporting a transmission or genetic predispositions, PD, like the other proteinopathies, are reputed to occur spontaneously (atpical animal prion strains, sporadic CJD summing 80% of human prion cases).
Non-human primate models provided the first evidences supporting the transmissibiity of human prion strains and the zoonotic potential of BSE. Among them, cynomolgus macaques brought major information for BSE risk assessment for human health (Chen, 2014), according to their phylogenetic proximity to humans and extended lifetime. We used this model to assess the zoonotic potential of other animal PD from bovine, ovine and cervid origins even after very long silent incubation periods.
*** We recently observed the direct transmission of a natural classical scrapie isolate to macaque after a 10-year silent incubation period,
***with features similar to some reported for human cases of sporadic CJD, albeit requiring fourfold long incubation than BSE. Scrapie, as recently evoked in humanized mice (Cassard, 2014),
***is the third potentially zoonotic PD (with BSE and L-type BSE),
***thus questioning the origin of human sporadic cases.
We will present an updated panorama of our different transmission studies and discuss the implications of such extended incubation periods on risk assessment of animal PD for human health.
===============
***thus questioning the origin of human sporadic cases***
===============
***our findings suggest that possible transmission risk of H-type BSE to sheep and human. Bioassay will be required to determine whether the PMCA products are infectious to these animals.
==============
PRION 2015 CONFERENCE
***Transmission data also revealed that several scrapie prions propagate in HuPrP-Tg mice with efficiency comparable to that of cattle BSE. While the efficiency of transmission at primary passage was low, subsequent passages resulted in a highly virulent prion disease in both Met129 and Val129 mice.
***Transmission of the different scrapie isolates in these mice leads to the emergence of prion strain phenotypes that showed similar characteristics to those displayed by MM1 or VV2 sCJD prion.
***These results demonstrate that scrapie prions have a zoonotic potential and raise new questions about the possible link between animal and human prions.
PRION 2016 TOKYO
Saturday, April 23, 2016
SCRAPIE WS-01: Prion diseases in animals and zoonotic potential 2016
Prion. 10:S15-S21. 2016 ISSN: 1933-6896 printl 1933-690X online
Taylor & Francis
Prion 2016 Animal Prion Disease Workshop Abstracts
WS-01: Prion diseases in animals and zoonotic potential
Transmission of the different scrapie isolates in these mice leads to the emergence of prion strain phenotypes that showed similar characteristics to those displayed by MM1 or VV2 sCJD prion.
These results demonstrate that scrapie prions have a zoonotic potential and raise new questions about the possible link between animal and human prions.
Title: Transmission of scrapie prions to primate after an extended silent incubation period)
*** In complement to the recent demonstration that humanized mice are susceptible to scrapie, we report here the first observation of direct transmission of a natural classical scrapie isolate to a macaque after a 10-year incubation period. Neuropathologic examination revealed all of the features of a prion disease: spongiform change, neuronal loss, and accumulation of PrPres throughout the CNS.
*** This observation strengthens the questioning of the harmlessness of scrapie to humans, at a time when protective measures for human and animal health are being dismantled and reduced as c-BSE is considered controlled and being eradicated.
*** Our results underscore the importance of precautionary and protective measures and the necessity for long-term experimental transmission studies to assess the zoonotic potential of other animal prion strains.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022
SHEEP BY-PRODUCTS AND WHAT ABOUT Scrapie TSE PrP and Potential Zoonosis?
SO, WHO'S UP FOR SOME MORE TSE PRION POKER, WHO'S ALL IN $$$
SO, ATYPICAL SCRAPIE ROUGHLY HAS 50 50 CHANCE ATYPICAL SCRAPIE IS CONTAGIOUS, AS NON-CONTAGIOUS, TAKE YOUR PICK, BUT I SAID IT LONG AGO WHEN USDA OIE ET AL MADE ATYPICAL SCRAPIE A LEGAL TRADING COMMODITY, I SAID YOUR PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID, and it's called in Texas, TEXAS TSE PRION HOLDEM POKER, WHO'S ALL IN $$$
***> AS is considered more likely (subjective probability range 50–66%) that AS is a non-contagious, rather than a contagious, disease.
Title: Transmission of the agent of sheep scrapie to deer results in PrPSc with two distinct molecular profiles
***> In summary, this work demonstrates that WTD are susceptible to the agent of scrapie, two distinct molecular profiles of PrPSc are present in the tissues of affected deer, and inoculum of either profile type readily passes to deer.
COLORADO THE ORIGIN OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION?
*** Spraker suggested an interesting explanation for the occurrence of CWD. The deer pens at the Foot Hills Campus were built some 30-40 years ago by a Dr. Bob Davis. At or about that time, allegedly, some scrapie work was conducted at this site. When deer were introduced to the pens they occupied ground that had previously been occupied by sheep.
***Moreover, sporadic disease has never been observed in breeding colonies or primate research laboratories, most notably among hundreds of animals over several decades of study at the National Institutes of Health25, and in nearly twenty older animals continuously housed in our own facility.***
Even if the prevailing view is that sporadic CJD is due to the spontaneous formation of CJD prions, it remains possible that its apparent sporadic nature may, at least in part, result from our limited capacity to identify an environmental origin.
Characterization of Classical Sheep Scrapie in White-tailed Deer after Experimental Oronasal Exposure
Justin J Greenlee, S Jo Moore, Eric D Cassmann, Zoe J Lambert, Robyn D Kokemuller, Jodi D Smith, Robert A Kunkle, Qingzhong Kong, M Heather West Greenlee Author Notes
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, jiac443, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac443
Published: 08 November 2022 Article history
Abstract
Background
Classic scrapie is a prion disease of sheep and goats that is associated with accumulation of abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) in the central nervous and lymphoid tissues. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the prion disease of cervids. This study was conducted to determine the susceptibility of white-tailed deer (WTD) to the classic scrapie agent.
Methods
We inoculated WTD (n = 5) by means of a concurrent oral/intranasal exposure with the classic scrapie agent from sheep or oronasally with the classic scrapie agent from goats (n = 6).
Results
All deer exposed to the agent of classic scrapie from sheep accumulated PrPSc. PrPSc was detected in lymphoid tissues at preclinical time points, and necropsies in deer 28 months after inoculation showed clinical signs, spongiform lesions, and widespread PrPSc in neural and lymphoid tissues. Western blots on samples from the brainstem, cerebellum, and lymph nodes of scrapie-infected WTD have a molecular profile similar to CWD and distinct from samples from the cerebral cortex, retina, or the original classic scrapie inoculum. There was no evidence of PrPSc in any of the WTD inoculated with classic scrapie prions from goats.
Conclusions
WTD are susceptible to the agent of classic scrapie from sheep, and differentiation from CWD may be difficult.
cervid, chronic wasting disease, prion disease, scrapie, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, white-tailed deer Issue Section: Major Article
snip...
DISCUSSION
When WTD were inoculated with the agent of scrapie from sheep, 100% were infected, with widespread evidence of PrPSc in lymphoid and nervous tissues (see summary Figure 5). The predominant molecular profile of abnormal prion protein present in the brainstem and lymph nodes of scrapie-affected deer was similar to that in CWD-affected deer and distinct from the no. 13-7 sheep classic scrapie inoculum. Conversely, when the no. 13-7 inoculum is used to inoculate elk, the molecular profile is similar to the original scrapie inoculum regardless of brain region sampled. There was no evidence of infection in deer that were exposed to scrapie prions from goats. Although the exposure was to less total inoculum, the amount and route were consistent with other successful experiments in sheep [26] and deer [22].
Figure 5.
Study summary. White-tailed deer (WTD) are oronasally susceptible to the agent of scrapie from sheep but not from goats. Unlike elk inoculated with the sheep scrapie agent, the Western blot (WB) profile of samples from deer with scrapie depends on the tissue assessed. The retina and cerebrum have a WB profile consistent with the original scrapie inoculum, while samples from lymph nodes and brainstem at the level of the obex have a molecular profile similar to that of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent. When passaged to cervidized mice, the agent of scrapie from WTD has an intermediate incubation time compared with the CWD agent from deer (shorter) or the scrapie agent from sheep (longer). Abbreviation: dpi, days post inoculation. Open in new tab Download slide
Study summary. White-tailed deer (WTD) are oronasally susceptible to the agent of scrapie from sheep but not from goats. Unlike elk inoculated with the sheep scrapie agent, the Western blot (WB) profile of samples from deer with scrapie depends on the tissue assessed. The retina and cerebrum have a WB profile consistent with the original scrapie inoculum, while samples from lymph nodes and brainstem at the level of the obex have a molecular profile similar to that of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent. When passaged to cervidized mice, the agent of scrapie from WTD has an intermediate incubation time compared with the CWD agent from deer (shorter) or the scrapie agent from sheep (longer). Abbreviation: dpi, days post inoculation.
Two WB patterns resulted from inoculating WTD with the no. 13-7 scrapie inoculum, and these patterns seem to depend on the anatomic location of the source of the sample used for WB: samples derived from the cerebral cortex or retina resulted in a lower WB profile, whereas those from the brainstem or lymph node resulted in a higher, CWD-like WB profile. When the agent of scrapie from WTD with either the high or low WB profile is passaged to Tg12 mice, the 2 inocula have distinct incubation times. However, this result could be due to different titers of infectivity in these 2 brain regions.
It was unexpected that WTD material from brainstem or cerebrum with distinct WB profiles resulted in similar CWD-like profiles after passage through Tg12 mice. The most likely explanation for this is that even though cerebrum from scrapie-affected deer has the lowest apparent molecular weight WB profile, it is probable that both PrPSc species (low molecular weight and CWD-like) are present in each brain region and that the CWD-like profile becomes predominant on second passage in cervid PRNP because it amplifies preferentially. It also is possible that the no. 13-7 inoculum contains >1 strain of scrapie despite serial passage in the sheep.
Strain mutation is unlikely to occur in all deer, but selection is possible if multiple strains were present in the inoculum. Alternatively, the 2 WB profiles observed may represent varying selective conditions in different neuroanatomic locations, which could possibly be further tested using in vitro methods [32]. Determining whether further passage of scrapie through deer results in adaptation to a more CWD-like phenotype will be the subject of future studies. Identification of a new strain would be significant, as it may mean that there are new transmission characteristics to third-party hosts, such as humans or cattle [33]. In the case of CWD, interspecies transmission alone is sufficient to increase the potential host range of field isolates [34].
WB analysis of archived samples of brain from elk infected with the same isolate of scrapie as the deer in the present study demonstrated that only a single (lower; scrapie-like) WB profile resulted from scrapie-affected elk. This suggests that the PrPSc with the higher WB profile (CWD-like) generated in this experiment may be a result specific to WTD. The retention of a scrapie-like WB profile on transmission of the agent of scrapie to elk supports the theory that the identification of CWD in Norway is not likely due to exposure to scrapie-infected sheep since the CWD case from Norway has a profile similar to that of North American elk CWD rather than the lower pattern of sheep scrapie [4].
While other groups have shown that scrapie prions from sheep are transmissible to WTD by the intravenous route [18], their results differed from ours concerning the WB patterns. Only a single WB pattern was noted in those deer, which was not directly compared with the original scrapie inoculum from sheep or samples derived from WTD with CWD [18]. The difference in results may be due to our use of a US scrapie isolate derived from ARQ/ARQ sheep [35] while the SSBP/1 strain used in Angers et al [18] has the fastest incubation in VRQ/VRQ sheep and does not seem to affect ARQ/ARQ sheep [36]. Results from the current study corroborate previous results obtained with the same scrapie isolate after intracranial inoculation [17] suggesting that the scrapie isolate rather than the route of inoculation is the major factor in the difference in results between studies.
There is precedent for 2 molecular profiles from different brain regions in the same individual. In Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), 2 isoforms of PrPSc are recognized, based on the electrophoretic mobility of the fragments resistant to proteinase K digestion. In PrPSc type 1, the nonglycosylated isoform migrates to the 21-kDa region of the gel, while the type 2 isoform migrates to 19 kDa [37].
There are a number of reports describing the presence of different PrPSc isoforms in different brains regions from single individuals affected by sporadic CJD [38–44], iatrogenic CJD [40], or familial CJD [45]. Furthermore, it appears that the regional deposition of type 1 or type 2 PrPSc (or co-occurrence of both types) is not random, indicating that different brain regions may be more or less permissive to the formation of a particular PrPSc isoform [38, 39]. Preferential formation of different PrPSc isoforms also seems to be influenced by genotype; for example, type 1 is found in the majority of patients with CJD who are MM homozygous at codon 129, while type 2 is more common in those who are MV heterozygous or VV homozygous [46, 47]. The relevance of these observations in sporadic CJD compared with scrapie in WTD requires further investigation.
When using WB analysis to compare samples of brainstem or lymph node from WTD infected with either CWD or scrapie prions, field samples may not allow for differentiation between CWD and scrapie. In the present study, samples from cerebrum or retina of deer infected with scrapie had a WB pattern distinct from any sample from a deer infected with CWD. Using the N-terminal antibody 12B2 allowed further differentiation of the retinal samples from deer with scrapie from CWD-infected counterparts as well as from sheep infected with either scrapie or CWD. The retinas from deer infected with scrapie maintained electrophoretic properties of scrapie while differing in biochemical properties (absence of 12B2 binding), suggesting that scrapie prions from the retinas of WTD have a unique conformation.
There was a high prevalence of S96 PRNP in the deer procured for this study: all were SS96. It is notable that recent genome-wide association analysis demonstrates that G96S has the largest effects on differential susceptibility to CWD of all PRNP polymorphisms [48], but all deer in this study were susceptible to the scrapie agent from sheep. This highlights the potential concern that using a PRNP-based approach to controlling CWD in deer may result in enhanced susceptibilities to other prion isolates. It would be necessary to repeat this study with wild-type deer to understand whether the genotype of the deer we used played any role in the results.
The high attack rate and widespread distribution of PrPSc in nervous and lymphoid tissues of the deer in this study suggest that potential transmission of scrapie to deer presents an ongoing risk to wild and captive WTD. Future studies will focus on whether WTD could serve as a reservoir of infectivity to scrapie-susceptible sheep.
Supplementary Data
Supplementary materials are available at The Journal of Infectious Diseases online. Consisting of data provided by the authors to benefit the reader, the posted materials are not copyedited and are the sole responsibility of the authors, so questions or comments should be addressed to the corresponding author.
Second passage of chronic wasting disease of mule deer to sheep by intracranial inoculation compared to classical scrapie
Our data suggest that the phenotype of CWD in sheep is indistinguishable from some strains of scrapie in sheep. Given our results, current detection techniques would be unlikely to distinguish CWD in sheep from scrapie in sheep if cross-species transmission occurred naturally. It is unknown if sheep are naturally vulnerable to CWD; however, the susceptibility of sheep after intracranial inoculation and lymphoid accumulation indicates that the species barrier is not absolute.
We compared two US classical scrapie strains to CWD in sheep and found that one of these strains is indistinguishable from sheep CWD. These results demonstrate that current diagnostic techniques would be unlikely to distinguish CWD in sheep from scrapie in sheep if cross-species transmission occurred in a natural setting. This research reinforces the need to continue ongoing cross-species transmission studies focusing on oral susceptibility of sheep to CWD and develop techniques to discriminate sheep CWD from sheep scrapie.
''We inoculated WTD by a natural route of exposure (concurrent oral and intranasal (IN); n=5) with a US scrapie isolate. All scrapie-inoculated deer had evidence of PrPSc accumulation.'' Scrapie transmits to white-tailed deer by the oral route and has a molecular profile similar to chronic wasting disease Authors
In summary, this work demonstrates that WTD are susceptible to the agent of scrapie, two distinct molecular profiles of PrPSc are present in the tissues of affected deer, and inoculum of either profile readily passes to deer.
Passage of scrapie to deer results in a new phenotype upon return passage to sheep) Author
We previously demonstrated that scrapie has a 100% attack rate in white-tailed deer after either intracranial or oral inoculation.
snip...
This work raises the potential concern that scrapie infected deer could serve as a confounding factor to scrapie eradication programs as scrapie from deer seems to be transmissible to sheep by the oronasal route.
In summary, this work demonstrates that WTD are susceptible to the agent of scrapie, two distinct molecular profiles of PrPSc are present in the tissues of affected deer, and inoculum of either profile type readily passes to deer.
White-tailed Deer are Susceptible to Scrapie by Natural Route of Infection
This work demonstrates for the first time that white-tailed deer are susceptible to sheep scrapie by potential natural routes of inoculation.
PO-039: A comparison of scrapie and chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer
Justin Greenlee, Jodi Smith, Eric Nicholson US Dept. Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Disease Center; Ames, IA USA
This research reinforces the need to continue ongoing cross-species transmission studies focusing on oral susceptibility of sheep to CWD and develop techniques to discriminate sheep CWD from sheep scrapie.
Friday, May 12, 2023
Camel prion disease, a new emerging disease in North Africa, Lymphoid Tropism, Neuropathological Characterization Update 2023
MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023
Prion Disease on the Rise in the U.S., Now the question is, why?
''5 cases per million in persons 55 years of age or older.''
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
posted by Terry S. Singeltary Sr. at
2:29 PM
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