Missouri MDC reports 243 new cases of CWD found during past year

Missouri MDC reports 243 new cases of CWD found during past year

MDC reports 243 new cases of CWD found during past year

By Joe Jerek

Published Date 04/21/2025

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports it has confirmed 243 new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri deer in 35 counties. Seven of those counties had their first CWD-positive case: Audrain, Callaway, Lewis, Marion, Miller, Morgan, and Texas.

The CWD-positive cases were found through sampling and testing of more than 36,000 deer during the past deer-hunting season and post-season targeted-removal efforts with most cases being from hunter-harvested deer submitted for sampling.

Missouri has an estimated population of more than 1.5 million white-tailed deer in the state. CWD is a 100% fatal disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family. The disease has been attributed to significant deer population declines in other states and threatens Missouri’s deer population, hunting culture, and economy.

Most of the new CWD positive cases were from the more than 276,000 deer harvested during the 2024-2025 deer-hunting season.

MDC confirmed an additional 70 cases of CWD found through its targeted-removal efforts of 4,768 deer after the close of the deer season in localized areas near where CWD has been found.

“The goal of targeted removal is to remove CWD-positive deer and reduce deer density in these localized areas to slow the spread of CWD and protect Missouri’s deer herd,” explained MDC Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Deb Hudman. “Targeted removal is a proven method to slow the spread of CWD and Missouri is one of several states that uses it to manage the disease.”

For more details on Post-Season Targeted Removal, visit mdc.mo.gov/cwd.

Those new cases bring the total number of CWD positives found in the state to 815 over 46 counties since the first positive CWD case was found in wild deer by MDC in early 2012.

Although the number of CWD-positive counties increased, Hudman noted that CWD management efforts have kept infection rates low.

“Less than 1% of samples tested positive for CWD,” said Hudman.

According to MDC, hunters and landowners are critical partners in the fight against CWD and can assist the Department by continuing to deer hunt, by participating in CWD sampling, by following regulations designed to slow CWD spread, and by cooperating with targeted removal efforts. Learn more about CWD at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.

https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-reports-243-new-cases-cwd-found-during-past-year

Missouri MDC reports 162 new cases of CWD for 2023 surveillance year…

https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-reports-162-new-cases-cwd-2023-surveillance-year

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024

Missouri MDC reports 162 new cases of CWD for 2023 surveillance year

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/04/missouri-mdc-reports-162-new-cases-of.html

https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/chronic-wasting-disease/cwd-surveillance

FOR THOSE INTERESTED, see year by year history of Missouri CWD at the bottom this post…terry

“CWD spreads among wild populations at a relatively slow rate, limited by the natural home range and dispersed nature of wild animals.”

NOW HOLD YOUR HORSES, Chronic Wasting Disease CWD of Cervid can spread rather swiftly, traveling around 50 MPH, from the back of truck and trailer, and Here in Texas, we call it ‘Trucking CWD’…

Texas Game Wardens Bust Illegal Deer Operations Across the State

https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b

Counties where CWD Exposed Deer were Released

https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/257/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites.pdf

Number of CWD Exposed Deer Released by County

https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/258/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites-NbrDeer.pdf

Preventive Veterinary Medicine Volume 234, January 2025, 106385

Use of biosecurity practices to prevent chronic wasting disease in Minnesota cervid herds

Vehicles or trailers that entered the farm were used to transport other live cervids, cervid carcasses, or cervid body parts in past 3 years in 64.3 % (95 % CI 46.3–82.3) of larger elk/reindeer herds compared to 13.6 % (95 % CI 4.7–22.4) of smaller deer herds.

Snip…

Identifying the exact pathway of initial CWD transmission to cervid herds is often not possible, in part due to many potential pathways of transmission for the infection, including both direct and indirect contact with infected farmed or wild cervids (Kincheloe et al., 2021). That study identified that transmissions from infected farmed cervids may occur from direct contact with the movement of cervids from one herd to another and from indirect contact with the sharing of equipment, vehicles, clothing, reproductive equipment, and potentially through semen or embryos.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016758772400271X

“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease and can devastate deer populations by silently spreading through direct animal contact and contaminated environments. Without close monitoring, illegal movement of captive deer increases the risk of introducing CWD to areas it is not known to exist, potentially leading to widespread outbreaks which will impact more than just the health of Texas deer.”

https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b

https://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0411/0411adop.pdf

Chronic wasting disease prions on deer feeders and wildlife visitation to deer feeding areas

Miranda H. J. Huang, Steve Demarais, Marc D. Schwabenlander, Bronson K. Strickland, Kurt C. VerCauteren, William T. McKinley, Gage Rowden, Corina C. Valencia Tibbitts … See all authors

First published: 10 February 2025

https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.70000

Abstract

Eliminating supplemental feeding is a common regulatory action within chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zones. These regulations target the potential for increased animal-animal contact and environmental contamination with CWD prions. Prions, the causative agent of CWD, have been detected on feeder surfaces in CWD-positive, captive deer facilities but not among free-ranging populations, and information on the relative risk of transmission at anthropogenic and natural food sources is limited. In this study, we established and maintained 13 gravity feeders from September 2022 to March 2023 in a CWD zone in northern Mississippi, USA (apparent prevalence ~30%). We set up feeders up in 3 ways: no exclusion (deer feeders, n = 7), exclusion of deer using fencing with holes cut at the ground-level to permit smaller wildlife to enter (raccoon feeders, n = 3), and environmental control feeders, which were fully fenced and not filled with feed (control feeders, n = 3). We swabbed feeder spouts at setup and at 4 intervals approximately 6 weeks apart to test for prion contamination via real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC). We detected prions 12 weeks after setup on all deer and raccoon feeders. We compared relative transmission risk using camera traps at these feeders, 6 agronomic plantings for wildlife forage (i.e., food plots), and 7 oak mast trees. Weekly visitation rate by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; hereafter: deer) differed (P = 0.02) among deer feeders (median = 24.5 deer/week, range = 15.6–65.7), food plots (median = 12.7, range = 3.8–24.7), and mast trees (median = 2.0, range = 0.4–5.1). Contact rates between individual deer also differed between site types (P < 0.01): deer feeders (median = 2.1 deer-to-deer contacts/week, range = 0–10.1), food plots (median = 0.1, range = 0–4.0), and mast trees (median = 0, range = 0–0.3). Raccoons also visited feeders at greater rates than food plots and mast trees (P < 0.04). Finally, we swabbed 19 feeders in 2 areas where CWD was newly detected, finding prion contamination on swabs from 4 feeders. We show that deer feeders in free-ranging populations with high CWD prevalence become contaminated with CWD prions quickly, becoming a potential site of exposure of deer to CWD prions. Our results also demonstrate the ability to find evidence of prion contamination on deer feeders, even in areas where CWD is newly detected.

Snip…

We found that supplemental feeding increased the risk of exposure to CWD prions due to contamination of feeders, increased deer visitation, and increased deer-to-deer contact.

The 12-fold increase in deer visitation to feeders compared to mast trees and 2-fold increase compared to food plots demonstrates increased risk for direct disease spread.

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.70000

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) prion detection in environmental and biological samples from a taxidermy site and nursing facility, and instruments used in surveillance activities

Paulina Soto a b , Nancy Ho a , Mitch Lockwood c , Austin Stolte c , J. Hunter Reed c , Rodrigo Morales a b

a Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America

b Centro Integrativo de Biologia y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile

c Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Kerrville, TX, United States of America

Received 20 September 2024, Revised 27 February 2025, Accepted 31 March 2025, Available online 9 April 2025, Version of Record 9 April 2025.

Cite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179318

Highlights

• CWD prions were identified in a taxidermy and deer nursing facility.

• Contaminated samples included waters, soils, dermestid beetles, domestic flies and a dumpster.

• Surgical instruments used to collect deer samples can get contaminated with CWD prions.

• Some of the infectious particles are readily released from surgical instruments when washed.

• Our results suggest that taxidermy practices actively contribute in the spreading of CWD.

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prionopathy affecting free-ranging and captive cervids. CWD is thought to spread through both direct and indirect transmission mechanisms. Along this line, human activities have not been thoroughly explored for their potential to spread this disease. One area of concern involves taxidermy procedures and surveillance activities as handled animals or carcasses are of unknown CWD statuses. Worrisomely, taxidermy facilities can act as foci of prion infectivity if appropriate biosecurity practices are not implemented. In this study, we evaluated the presence of infectious prions in a taxidermy facility that was possibly exposed to CWD prions. To determine this, we collected biological and environmental specimens from this site and screened them using the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique. Additionally, we swabbed different surfaces possibly exposed to CWD-infected animals or carcasses. We report the presence of prions in i) waters used to digest tissues from deer carcasses, ii) soils that were in contact with the previously mentioned waters, iii) dermestid beetles used to clean skulls, iv) other insects found in the beetle shed, and iv) dumpsters where animal carcasses were disposed. Additionally, we report that surgical materials used in surveillance practices may also hold CWD prions, even after being washed with aqueous solutions. All these results suggest that CWD prions may be disseminated due to human practices and that protocols should be established to decontaminate potentially contaminated materials.

Introduction

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that affects multiple cervid species, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, reindeer, and moose, among others (Escobar et al., 2020). CWD is widely distributed in the United States and Canada in captive and free-ranging cervids. CWD is characterized by long incubation periods, followed by a relatively short clinical phase (Rivera et al., 2019; Williams, 2005). CWD is fatal in all cases when animals are clinical, and to date, there is no feasible treatment for curing either CWD or any other prion disease (Haley and Hoover, 2015). Unfortunately, CWD is rapidly expanding in both number of animals affected and geographical areas (Bartz et al., 2024; National Wildlife Health Center, 2025). Considering this, efficient containment and diagnostic testing strategies are urgently needed.

CWD can spread within animal populations with relative ease (Otero et al., 2021). The propagation of this disease is thought to be more efficient in captive animals considering the higher animal densities found in these environments (Mathiason et al., 2009; Rivera et al., 2019; Bartelt-Hunt and Bartz, 2017; Zabel and Ortega, 2017). Nevertheless, CWD transmission is still highly efficient in free-ranging cervid populations. CWD transmission is thought to occur mostly through direct animal contacts, or indirectly through the exposure of naïve animals to contaminated environments (Denkers et al., 2013; Escobar et al., 2020; Haley et al., 2011; Mathiason et al., 2009; Miller Michael et al., 2004; Soto et al., 2024). Environmental components, including inert materials and living organisms, are thought to play relevant roles in the spread of CWD (Escobar et al., 2020; Jacobson et al., 2010a; Pritzkow et al., 2018). Different studies have shown that infectious prions can enter the environment through decaying carcasses from diseased animals (Soto et al., 2023), gestational tissues released during parturition (Bravo-Risi et al., 2021), saliva (Haley et al., 2011), and excreta (Bravo-Risi et al., 2023). Once released, prions can bind to soil and other natural and manmade components (Johnson et al., 2006; Smith et al., 2011) and become available to susceptible animals. Other organisms, including plants, predators, scavengers, parasites, insects, and annelids may also participate in these processes by interacting with contaminated environmental components or animal tissues (Carlson et al., 2023; Fischer et al., 2013; Inzalaco et al., 2023; Pritzkow et al., 2015; Soto et al., 2024). Overall, multiple components and processes are involved in CWD prion transmission and dissemination. However, most of them are understudied and/or assayed in laboratory-controlled conditions. As consequence, the specific contribution of each process/element in CWD environmental contamination is contentious.

An essential factor to consider in the spreading of CWD prions includes human activities (Mori et al., 2024). Along this line, regulatory agencies already implemented or are currently considering regulations in several of these activities including containment, animal processing, movement of animals, disposal of carcasses, and breeding practices, among others (Mateus-Pinilla et al., 2013; Mysterud and Edmunds, 2019). Although most of these practices have a potential for CWD transmission, their overall importance in CWD epidemiology is understudied. One example of this involves taxidermy procedures. Deer are regarded as one of the most popular game animals, generating a high economic output and involving various activities including deer breeding, taxidermy, meat processing, and others (Arnot et al., 2009; Bishop, 2004) (https://nri.tamu.edu/media/3968/economic-values-of-white-tailed-deer-in-texas-2022-survey-part-i.pdf). Hunters active in areas with reported CWD cases are requested to follow state, wildlife and public health recommendations (Carlson et al., 2018). In general, all agencies strongly suggest CWD animal testing before processing. Many hunters process game at private facilities and, because of no statutory authority or lack of awareness, CWD-relevant guidelines or rules may not exist for meat processing and taxidermy facilities despite their capacity to transmit CWD. Specifically, the movement of carcasses or carcasses parts from areas with a high CWD incidence to areas with little or no incidence may facilitate CWD introduction and spread. In addition, it should be considered that inappropriate disposal of carcasses and animal products may also contribute to the dissemination of this disease (Angers et al., 2009; Benestad et al., 2016). Considering the above-mentioned scenarios, proper surveillance of CWD and management of activities involving potentially infected animals and animal-derived products might help to contain it. If left unchecked, there could be profound negative impacts on human health and wildlife conservation.

In this study, we evaluated the presence of CWD prions in a taxidermy facility where deer heads are processed to prepare skull mounts. Analyses were made using the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique in various biological and environmental samples. In addition, we also tested the persistence of CWD prions in surgical materials used in surveillance procedures. Our results show, for the first time, CWD-prion detection in a potentially exposed taxidermy facility. In addition, we also tested the persistence of CWD prions in surgical materials used in surveillance procedures. This information has important implications on several fronts of CWD research including environmental spreading, human-related practices, and exposure of humans to infectious animal prions.

Section snippets

Samples

The samples were collected from a taxidermy and free-ranging deer rehabilitation facility located on the same property in Val Verde County, Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff were initially notified of a CWD clinical suspect on this property; this animal was ultimately euthanized and confirmed positive for CWD by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory on January 5th, 2020. Samples were collected from different areas on this property where deer heads were processed to Screening of CWD prions in environmental and processing elements from a taxidermy facility

The European mount technique is a widely utilized taxidermy practice aiming to produce a skull of an animal that is free of tissue. The first critical step in making a European mount is removing the flesh from the animal's head. This is achieved by removing the majority of the external flesh, eyeballs, ears, and the brain. Then, the de-meated skull is subjected to a maceration process using bacteria. The purpose of this step is to soften and degrade any remaining tissue on the skull. This Discussion

CWD continues expanding in distribution and prevalence in North America. Hence, an essential factor in limiting the spread of this disease is to monitor and contain infectivity foci. This has proven to be difficult considering the limited diagnostic tools available to effectively identify the CWD infectious agent (prions). Identifying and mitigating the negative role that anthropogenic activities have in promoting CWD transmission is an essential step in developing a prevention strategy. The Conclusion

In summary, the information provided in this report demonstrate how anthropogenic activities, specifically taxidermy practices, animal processing, and rehabilitation of CWD susceptible species, may facilitate CWD transmission through the environmental dissemination of CWD prions. This study, along with future research efforts characterizing the overall level of infectivity, provides relevant information on managing CWD and to control its rapid geographic expansion. …

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969725009544

***> This old study always brings to light the long term effects of a TSE in the environment…

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.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8006664&dopt=Abstract

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Direct neural transmission of vCJD/BSE in macaque after finger incision

Second death in France in a laboratory working on prions

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has killed a person who handled this infectious agent at Inrae in Toulouse.

After a first death in 2019, a moratorium on work on this pathogen has been extended.

France issues moratorium on prion research after fatal brain disease strikes two lab workers

https://itseprion.blogspot.com/2021/12/direct-neural-transmission-of-vcjdbse.html

Iatrogenic TSE Prion, Friendly Fire, Unforeseen Circumstances

https://itseprion.blogspot.com/

THE CWD 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

New studies on the heat resistance of hamster-adapted scrapie agent: Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic template of replication

http://www.pnas.org/content/97/7/3418.full

Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel Production

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2493038/

March 13, 2025

Prion Partitioning and Persistence in Environmental Waters

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/acs.est.4c11497?ref=article_openPDF

Prions in Waterways

https://vimeo.com/898941380?fbclid=IwAR3Di7tLuU-iagCetdt4-CVPrOPQQrv037QS1Uxz0tX3z7BuvPeYlwIp7IY

Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a CWD-endemic area

https://www.ncbi...nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802782/pdf/prion0303_0171.pdf

A Quantitative Assessment of the Amount of Prion Diverted to Category 1 Materials and Wastewater During Processing

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2012.01922.x/abstract

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

https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1746-6148-9-134.pdf

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

BSE infectivity survives burial for five years with only limited spread

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00705-019-04154-8.pdf

In summary, CWD prions are efficiently transmitted to WTD via aerosolization using a delivered dose substantially lower than previously reported by the oral route. Our results provide further evidence that prions delivered to the nasal passages are sufficient to transmit CWD and allow the inference that aerosolization may facilitate the transmission of prions in general.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.02852-12

In summary, our results establish aerosols as a surprisingly efficient modality of prion transmission. This novel pathway of prion transmission is not only conceptually relevant for the field of prion research, but also highlights a hitherto unappreciated risk factor for laboratory personnel and personnel of the meat processing industry. In the light of these findings, it may be appropriate to revise current prion-related biosafety guidelines and health standards in diagnostic and scientific laboratories being potentially confronted with prion infected materials. While we did not investigate whether production of prion aerosols in nature suffices to cause horizontal prion transmission, the finding of prions in biological fluids such as saliva, urine and blood suggests that it may be worth testing this possibility in future studies.

https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1001257

Mineral licks as environmental reservoirs of chronic wasting disease prions

Ian H. Plummer,Chad J. Johnson,Alexandra R. Chesney,Joel A. Pedersen ,Michael D. Samuel

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of deer, elk, moose, and reindeer (cervids) caused by misfolded prion proteins. The disease has been reported across North America and recently discovered in northern Europe. Transmission of CWD in wild cervid populations can occur through environmental routes, but limited ability to detect prions in environmental samples has prevented the identification of potential transmission “hot spots”. We establish widespread CWD prion contamination of mineral licks used by free-ranging cervids in an enzootic area in Wisconsin, USA. We show mineral licks can serve as reservoirs of CWD prions and thus facilitate disease transmission. Furthermore, mineral licks attract livestock and other wildlife that also obtain mineral nutrients via soil and water consumption. Exposure to CWD prions at mineral licks provides potential for cross-species transmission to wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Managing deer use of mineral licks warrants further consideration to help control outbreaks of CWD.

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0196745#sec008

December 2014, Volume 36, Issue 6, pp 1049–1061 | Cite as

Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease risk at communal use sites of elk and deer

Authors Authors and affiliations Michael J. LavelleEmail authorGregory E. PhillipsJustin W. FischerPatrick W. BurkeNathan W. SewardRandal S. StahlTracy A. NicholsBruce A. WunderKurt C. VerCauteren 1. 2. 3. 4.

Article First Online: 08 April 2014

Abstract

Free-ranging cervids acquire most of their essential minerals through forage consumption, though occasionally seek other sources to account for seasonal mineral deficiencies. Mineral sources occur as natural geological deposits (i.e., licks) or as anthropogenic mineral supplements. In both scenarios, these sources commonly serve as focal sites for visitation. We monitored 11 licks in Rocky Mountain National Park, north-central Colorado, using trail cameras to quantify daily visitation indices (DVI) and soil consumption indices (SCI) for Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during summer 2006 and documented elk, mule deer, and moose (Alces alces) visiting licks. Additionally, soil samples were collected, and mineral concentrations were compared to discern levels that explain rates of visitation. Relationships between response variables; DVI and SCI, and explanatory variables; elevation class, moisture class, period of study, and concentrations of minerals were examined. We found that DVI and SCI were greatest at two wet, low-elevation licks exhibiting relatively high concentrations of manganese and sodium. Because cervids are known to seek Na from soils, we suggest our observed association of Mn with DVI and SCI was a likely consequence of deer and elk seeking supplemental dietary Na. Additionally, highly utilized licks such as these provide an area of concentrated cervid occupation and interaction, thus increasing risk for environmental transmission of infectious pathogens such as chronic wasting disease, which has been shown to be shed in the saliva, urine, and feces of infected cervids. Keywords Cervus elaphus Chronic wasting disease Elk Geophagy Mineral lick Mule deer Odocoileus hemionus

https://rd.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10653-014-9600-0

Elk and Deer Use of Mineral Licks: Implications for Disease Transmission

Kurt C. VerCauteren1*, Michael J. Lavelle1, Gregory E. Phillips1, Justin W.. Fischer1, and Randal S. Stahl1 1United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA *Cooresponding author e-mail: kurt.c.vercauteren@aphis.usda.gov

North American cervids require and actively seek out minerals to satisfy physiological requirements. Minerals required by free-ranging cervids exist within natural and artificial mineral licks that commonly serve as focal sites for cervids. Ingestion of soils contaminated with the agent that causes chronic wasting disease (CWD) may result in risk of contracting CWD.

Our objective was to evaluate the extent and nature of use of mineral licks by CWD-susceptible cervid species. We used animal-activated cameras to monitor use of 18 mineral licks between 1 June and 16 October 2006 in Rocky Mountain National Park, north-central Colorado.. We also assessed mineral concentrations at mineral licks to evaluate correlations between visitation rates and site-specific characteristics. We collected > 400,000 images of which 991 included elk, 293 included deer, and 6 included moose.

We documented elk and deer participating in a variety of potentially risky behaviors (e.g., ingesting soil, ingesting water, defecating, urinating) while at mineral licks.

Results from the mineral analyses combined with camera data revealed that visitation was highest at sodium-rich mineral licks.

Mineral licks may play a role in disease transmission by acting as sites of increased interaction as well as reservoirs for deposition, accumulation, and ingestion of disease agents.

https://int-cwd-sympo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf

DEFRA

In summary, in endemic areas, there is a medium probability that the soil and surrounding environment is contaminated with CWD prions and in a bioavailable form. In rural areas where CWD has not been reported and deer are present, there is a greater than negligible risk the soil is contaminated with CWD prion.

snip…

In summary, given the volume of tourists, hunters and servicemen moving between GB and North America, the probability of at least one person travelling to/from a CWD affected area and, in doing so, contaminating their clothing, footwear and/or equipment prior to arriving in GB is greater than negligible... For deer hunters, specifically, the risk is likely to be greater given the increased contact with deer and their environment. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with these estimates.

Friday, December 14, 2012

DEFRA U.K. What is the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD being introduced into Great Britain? A Qualitative Risk Assessment October 2012

snip.....

36% in 2007 (Almberg et al., 2011). In such areas, population declines of deer of up to 30 to 50% have been observed (Almberg et al., 2011). In areas of Colorado, the prevalence can be as high as 30% (EFSA, 2011). The clinical signs of CWD in affected adults are weight loss and behavioural changes that can span weeks or months (Williams, 2005). In addition, signs might include excessive salivation, behavioural alterations including a fixed stare and changes in interaction with other animals in the herd, and an altered stance (Williams, 2005). These signs are indistinguishable from cervids experimentally infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Given this, if CWD was to be introduced into countries with BSE such as GB, for example, infected deer populations would need to be tested to differentiate if they were infected with CWD or BSE to minimise the risk of BSE entering the human food-chain via affected venison.

snip.....

The rate of transmission of CWD has been reported to be as high as 30% and can approach 100% among captive animals in endemic areas (Safar et al., 2008).

snip.....

In summary, in endemic areas, there is a medium probability that the soil and surrounding environment is contaminated with CWD prions and in a bioavailable form. In rural areas where CWD has not been reported and deer are present, there is a greater than negligible risk the soil is contaminated with CWD prion.

snip.....

In summary, given the volume of tourists, hunters and servicemen moving between GB and North America, the probability of at least one person travelling to/from a CWD affected area and, in doing so, contaminating their clothing, footwear and/or equipment prior to arriving in GB is greater than negligible...

UFor deer hunters, specifically, the risk is likely to be greater given the increased contact with deer and their environment. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with these estimates.

snip.....

Therefore, it is considered that farmed and park deer may have a higher probability of exposure to CWD transferred to the environment than wild deer given the restricted habitat range and higher frequency of contact with tourists and returning GB residents.

snip.....

https://web.archive.org/web/20170404125557/http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130822084033/http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/files/qra_chronic-wasting-disease-121029.pdf

Title: Horizontal transmission of chronic wasting disease in reindeer

Submitted to: Emerging Infectious Diseases Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/29/2016 Publication Date: 12/1/2016

Citation: Moore, S., Kunkle, R., Greenlee, M., Nicholson, E., Richt, J., Hamir, A., Waters, W., Greenlee, J. 2016. Horizontal transmission of chronic wasting disease in reindeer.

Emerging Infectious Diseases. 22(12):2142-2145. doi:10.3201/eid2212.160635.

Interpretive Summary: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that occurs in farmed and wild cervids (deer and elk) of North America and was recently diagnosed in a single free-ranging reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Norway. CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that is caused by infectious proteins called prions that are resistant to various methods of decontamination and environmental degradation. Little is known about the susceptibility of or potential for transmission amongst reindeer. In this experiment, we tested the susceptibility of reindeer to CWD from various sources (elk, mule deer, or white-tailed deer) after intracranial inoculation and tested the potential for infected reindeer to transmit to non-inoculated animals by co-housing or housing in adjacent pens. Reindeer were susceptible to CWD from elk, mule deer, or white-tailed deer sources after experimental inoculation. Most importantly, non-inoculated reindeer that were co-housed with infected reindeer or housed in pens adjacent to infected reindeer but without the potential for nose-to-nose contact also developed evidence of CWD infection. This is a major new finding that may have a great impact on the recently diagnosed case of CWD in the only remaining free-ranging reindeer population in Europe as our findings imply that horizontal transmission to other reindeer within that herd has already occurred. Further, this information will help regulatory and wildlife officials developing plans to reduce or eliminate CWD and cervid farmers that want to ensure that their herd remains CWD-free, but were previously unsure of the potential for reindeer to transmit CWD.

Technical Abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally-occurring, fatal prion disease of cervids. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are susceptible to CWD following oral challenge, and CWD was recently reported in a free-ranging reindeer of Norway. Potential contact between CWD-affected cervids and Rangifer species that are free-ranging or co-housed on farms presents a potential risk of CWD transmission. The aims of this study were to 1) investigate the transmission of CWD from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; CWDwtd), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus; CWDmd), or elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni; CWDelk) to reindeer via the intracranial route, and 2) to assess for direct and indirect horizontal transmission to non-inoculated sentinels. Three groups of 5 reindeer fawns were challenged intracranially with CWDwtd, CWDmd, or CWDelk. Two years after challenge of inoculated reindeer, non-inoculated negative control reindeer were introduced into the same pen as the CWDwtd inoculated reindeer (direct contact; n=4) or into a pen adjacent to the CWDmd inoculated reindeer (indirect contact; n=2). Experimentally inoculated reindeer were allowed to develop clinical disease. At death/euthanasia a complete necropsy examination was performed, including immunohistochemical testing of tissues for disease-associated CWD prion protein (PrPcwd). Intracranially challenged reindeer developed clinical disease from 21 months post-inoculation (months PI). PrPcwd was detected in 5 out of 6 sentinel reindeer although only 2 out of 6 developed clinical disease during the study period (< 57 months PI). We have shown that reindeer are susceptible to CWD from various cervid sources and can transmit CWD to naïve reindeer both directly and indirectly.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=328261

Conclusions

Potential sources of infectivity for direct contact animals include urine, feces, and saliva from their CWDwtd-challenged pen-mates, as has been shown for CWD-affected white-tailed deer (6,8,9). Pinpointing the source of infectivity in the indirect contact group is more difficult. Infectious prions can travel at least 30 m in airborne particulate (10), but because the negative control reindeer in the pen adjacent to the indirect contact reindeer did not become positive, a more direct route of transmission is likely in this case. Penning, feeding, and watering protocols were designed to prevent exposure of negative control and indirect contact reindeer to potential infectivity on feed and water buckets, bedding, or fencing (6,11). However, reindeer might have had access to bedding from adjacent pens that had spread into the central alleyway.

During the 5-year course of this study, reindeer were moved between pens several times to maintain an optimal number of animals per pen (Technical Appendix Figure 1). Prolonged persistence of prion infectivity in the natural environment has been documented for both CWD (2 years [5]) and scrapie (up to 16 years [12]). In addition, thorough cleaning and disinfection might not be sufficient to remove all infectivity from the environment, leading to persistence of infectivity under experimental housing conditions (13).

In reindeer challenged orally with the agent of CWD, the SS138 genotype (serine/serine at PRNPcodon 138) has been associated with susceptibility to disease and the NS138 (asparagine/serine) genotype with resistance (1). In the study we report, disease developed in reindeer with the NS138 genotype after intracranial inoculation, although the extent of lymphoreticular system involvement was significantly lower than in NN138 and SS138 reindeer. The potential association of the NN138 polymorphism with shorter survival times is interesting. However, as with all potential genotype versus phenotype interactions, care should be taken not to over-interpret these results given the small group sizes and the large number of PRNPgenotype groups in this study.

Our results demonstrate that reindeer are susceptible to the agent of CWD from white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk sources after intracranial inoculation. Furthermore, naive reindeer are susceptible to the agent of CWD after direct and indirect exposure to CWD-infected reindeer, suggesting a high potential for horizontal transmission of CWD within and between farmed and free-ranging reindeer (and caribou) populations.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/12/16-0635_article

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5189146/

Rapid recontamination of a farm building occurs after attempted prion removal

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.

snip...

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 scrapie positive 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.

https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/vr.105054

***>This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30602491/

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

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.

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2015.00032/full

"Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation."

15 YEARS!

Detection of prions in soils contaminated by multiple routes

Results: We are able to detect prion seeding activity at multiple types of environmental hotspots, including carcass sites, contaminated captive facilities, and scrapes (i.e. urine and saliva). Differences in relative prion concentration vary depending on the nature and source of the contamination. Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation.

Conclusions: Detection of prions in the environment is of the utmost importance for controlling chronic wasting disease spread. Here, we have demonstrated a viable method for detection of prions in complex environmental matrices. However, it is quite likely that this method underestimates the total infectious prion load in a contaminated sample, due to incomplete recovery of infectious prions. Further refinements are necessary for accurate quantification of prions in such samples, and to account for the intrinsic heterogeneities found in the broader environment.

Funded by: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Prion 2023 Abstracts

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

Artificial mineral sites that pre-date endemic chronic wasting disease become prion hotspots

The detection of PrPCWD in soils at attractant sites within an endemic CWD zone significantly advances our understanding of environmental PrPCWD accumulation dynamics, providing valuable information for advancing adaptive CWD management approaches.

https://int-cwd-sympo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf

Detection of chronic wasting disease prions in the farm soil of the Republic of Korea

Here, we show that prion seeding activity was detected in extracts from farm soil following 4 years of incubation with CWD-infected brain homogenate.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00866-24

Chronic wasting disease detection in environmental and biological samples from a taxidermy site

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.

Prion 2022 Conference abstracts: pushing the boundaries

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2022.2091286

https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true

***> 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

https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.82011-0

In summary, CWD prions are efficiently transmitted to WTD via aerosolization using a delivered dose substantially lower than previously reported by the oral route. Our results provide further evidence that prions delivered to the nasal passages are sufficient to transmit CWD and allow the inference that aerosolization may facilitate the transmission of prions in general.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.02852-12

In summary, our results establish aerosols as a surprisingly efficient modality of prion transmission. This novel pathway of prion transmission is not only conceptually relevant for the field of prion research, but also highlights a hitherto unappreciated risk factor for laboratory personnel and personnel of the meat processing industry. In the light of these findings, it may be appropriate to revise current prion-related biosafety guidelines and health standards in diagnostic and scientific laboratories being potentially confronted with prion infected materials. While we did not investigate whether production of prion aerosols in nature suffices to cause horizontal prion transmission, the finding of prions in biological fluids such as saliva, urine and blood suggests that it may be worth testing this possibility in future studies.

https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1001257

This old study always brings to light the long term effects of a TSE in the environment…

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.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8006664&dopt=Abstract

So, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?

2001, I remember what someone told me ‘In Confidence’, about Scrapie, I never forgot, and it seems it’s come to pass;

***> 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…so, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?

Aug 18, 2021

Oh, Deer

Heading Off a Wildlife Epidemic

CWD poses a significant threat to the future of hunting in Texas. Deer population declines of 45 and 50 percent have been documented in Colorado and Wyoming. A broad infection of Texas deer populations resulting in similar population impacts would inflict severe economic damage to rural communities and could negatively impact land markets. Specifically, those landowners seeking to establish a thriving herd of deer could avoid buying in areas with confirmed CWD infections. As they do with anthrax-susceptible properties, land brokers may find it advisable to inquire about the status of CWD infections on properties that they present for sale. Prospective buyers should also investigate the status of the wildlife on prospective properties. In addition, existing landowners should monitor developments as TPWD crafts management strategies to identify and contain this deadly disease.

Dr. Gilliland (c-gilliland@tamu.edu) is a research economist with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University.

https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierra-grande/oh-d

Plants as vectors for environmental prion transmission

Published: November 09, 2023DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.108428

Advertisement Highlights

• Abnormal prion protein can enter the roots of plants

• Plants can translocate detectable levels of prions to aerial tissues

•Animals exposed to prion-contaminated plant tissues can acquire disease

•Contaminated plants may represent a route of prion exposure

Snip…

Nonetheless, our finding of accumulation of two prion strains by a variety of plants grown hydroponically, in agar, or on soil supports the potential for plants to acquire CWD, scrapie, or other prions from the environment and transmit prion disease to susceptible hosts, making plants a plausible vector for prion diseases in wildlife, livestock, and humans. The potential for plants to serve as vectors for prion disease has implications for the disposal of infected carcasses, grazing practices, and the use and transport of potentially contaminated crop materials.

https://www.cell.com/iscience/pdf/S2589-0042(23)02505-1.pdf

https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(23)02505-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2589004223025051%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

Carrot plants as potential vectors for CWD transmission.

The PMCA analysis demonstrated CWD seeding activity in soils contaminated with CWD prions and in carrot plants (leaves and roots) grown on them. Bioassays showed that both plants and roots contained CWD prions sufficiently to induce disease. As expected, animals treated with prion-infected soils developed prion disease at shorter incubation periods (and complete attack rates) compared to plant components. We show that edible plant components can absorb prions from CWD-contaminated soils and transport them to their aerial parts. Our results indicate that edible plants could participate as vectors of CWD transmission.

https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true

“In addition, hay and straw from the United States and Canada must be accompanied by a certificate from a public veterinarian that the product has been harvested in states or provinces where Chronic Wasting Disease has not been detected on deer.”

Regulation No. 1599 of 2018 on additional requirements for the import of hay and straw for used for animal feed.

Country Norway

Type of law Regulation

Source

FAO , FAOLEX

In addition, hay and straw from the United States and Canada must be accompanied by a certificate from a public veterinarian that the product has been harvested in states or provinces where Chronic Wasting Disease has not been detected on deer.

http://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/nor189761.pdf

Volume 31, Number 1—January 2025

Dispatch

Detection of Prions in Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) from Areas with Reported Chronic Wasting Disease Cases, United States

Abstract

Using a prion amplification assay, we identified prions in tissues from wild pigs (Sus scrofa) living in areas of the United States with variable chronic wasting disease (CWD) epidemiology. Our findings indicate that scavenging swine could play a role in disseminating CWD and could therefore influence its epidemiology, geographic distribution, and interspecies spread.

Snip…

Conclusions In summary, results from this study showed that wild pigs are exposed to cervid prions, although the pigs seem to display some resistance to infection via natural exposure. Future studies should address the susceptibility of this invasive animal species to the multiple prion strains circulating in the environment. Nonetheless, identification of CWD prions in wild pig tissues indicated the potential for pigs to move prions across the landscape, which may, in turn, influence the epidemiology and geographic spread of CWD.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/%2031/1/24-0401_article

Although the current U.S. feed ban is based on keeping tissues from TSE infected cattle from contaminating animal feed, swine rations in the U.S. could contain animal derived components including materials from scrapie infected sheep and goats. These results indicating the susceptibility of pigs to sheep scrapie, coupled with the limitations of the current feed ban, indicates that a revision of the feed ban may be necessary to protect swine production and potentially human health.

2. Determined that pigs naturally exposed to chronic wasting disease (CWD) may act as a reservoir of CWD infectivity. Chronic wasting disease is a naturally occurring, fatal, neurodegenerative disease of cervids. The potential for swine to serve as a host for the agent of CWD disease is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of swine to the CWD agent following experimental oral or intracranial inoculation. Pigs were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: intracranially inoculated; orally inoculated; or non-inoculated. At market weight age, half of the pigs in each group were tested ('market weight' groups). The remaining pigs ('aged' groups) were allowed to incubate for up to 73 months post inoculation (MPI). Tissues collected at necropsy were examined for disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) by multiple diagnostic methods. Brain samples from selected pigs were bioassayed in mice expressing porcine prion protein. Some pigs from each inoculated group were positive by one or more tests. Bioassay was positive in 4 out of 5 pigs assayed. Although only small amounts of PrPSc were detected using sensitive methods, this study demonstrates that pigs can serve as hosts for CWD. Detection of infectivity in orally inoculated pigs using mouse bioassay raises the possibility that naturally exposed pigs could act as a reservoir of CWD infectivity. Currently, swine rations in the U.S. could contain animal derived components including materials from deer or elk. In addition, feral swine could be exposed to infected carcasses in areas where CWD is present in wildlife populations. The current feed ban in the U.S. is based exclusively on keeping tissues from TSE infected cattle from entering animal feeds. These results indicating the susceptibility of pigs to CWD, coupled with the limitations of the current feed ban, indicates that a revision of the feed ban may be necessary to protect swine production and potentially human health.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=353091

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=432011&fy=2017

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=337105

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=326166

***> Price of TSE Prion Poker goes up substantially, all you cattle ranchers and such, better pay close attention here...terry <***

Transmission of the chronic wasting disease agent from elk to cattle after oronasal exposure

Justin Greenlee, Jifeng Bian, Zoe Lambert, Alexis Frese, and Eric Cassmann Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA-ARS, Ames, IA, USA

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the susceptibility of cattle to chronic wasting disease agent from elk.

Materials and Methods: Initial studies were conducted in bovinized mice using inoculum derived from elk with various genotypes at codon 132 (MM, LM, LL). Based upon attack rates, inoculum (10% w/v brain homogenate) from an LM132 elk was selected for transmission studies in cattle. At approximately 2 weeks of age, one wild type steer (EE211) and one steer with the E211K polymorphism (EK211) were fed 1 mL of brain homogenate in a quart of milk replacer while another 1 mL was instilled intranasally. The cattle were examined daily for clinical signs for the duration of the experiment. One steer is still under observation at 71 months post-inoculation (mpi).

Results: Inoculum derived from MM132 elk resulted in similar attack rates and incubation periods in mice expressing wild type or K211 bovine PRNP, 35% at 531 days post inoculation (dpi) and 27% at 448 dpi, respectively. Inoculum from LM132 elk had a slightly higher attack rates in mice: 45% (693 dpi) in wild type cattle PRNP and 33% (468) in K211 mice. Inoculum from LL132 elk resulted in the highest attack rate in wild type bovinized mice (53% at 625 dpi), but no K211 mice were affected at >700 days. At approximately 70 mpi, the EK211 genotype steer developed clinical signs suggestive of prion disease, depression, low head carriage, hypersalivation, and ataxia, and was necropsied. Enzyme immunoassay (IDEXX) was positive in brainstem (OD=4.00, but non-detect in retropharyngeal lymph nodes and palatine tonsil. Immunoreactivity was largely limited to the brainstem, midbrain, and cervical spinal cord with a pattern that was primarily glia-associated.

Conclusions: Cattle with the E211K polymorphism are susceptible to the CWD agent after oronasal exposure of 0.2 g of infectious material.

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.

"Cattle with the E211K polymorphism are susceptible to the CWD agent after oronasal exposure of 0.2 g of infectious material."

=====end

Strain characterization of chronic wasting disease in bovine-PrP transgenic mice

Nuria Jerez-Garrido1, Sara Canoyra1, Natalia Fernández-Borges1, Alba Marín Moreno1, Sylvie L. Benestad2, Olivier Andreoletti3, Gordon Mitchell4, Aru Balachandran4, Juan María Torres1 and Juan Carlos Espinosa1. 1 Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain. 2 Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway. 3 UMR Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)/École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Interactions Hôtes Agents Pathogènes, Toulouse, France. 4 Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Canada.

Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an infectious prion disease that affects cervids. Various CWD prion strains have been identified in different cervid species from North America and Europe. The properties of the infectious prion strains are influenced by amino acid changes and polymorphisms in the PrP sequences of different cervid species. This study, aimed to assess the ability of a panel of CWD prion isolates from diverse cervid species from North America and Europe to infect bovine species, as well as to investigate the properties of the prion strains following the adaptation to the bovine-PrP context.

Materials and Methods: BoPrP-Tg110 mice overexpressing the bovine-PrP sequence were inoculated by intracranial route with a panel of CWD prion isolates from both North America (two white-tailed deer and two elk) and Europe (one reindeer, one moose and one red deer).

Results: Our results show distinct behaviours in the transmission of the CWD isolates to the BoPrP-Tg110 mouse model. Some of these isolates did not transmit even after the second passage. Those able to transmit displayed differences in terms of attack rate, survival times, biochemical properties of brain PrPres, and histopathology.

Conclusions: Altogether, these results exhibit the diversity of CWD strains present in the panel of CWD isolates and the ability of at least some CWD isolates to infect bovine species. Cattle being one of the most important farming species, this ability represents a potential threat to both animal and human health, and consequently deserves further study.

Funded by: MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and by European Union NextGeneration EU/PRTR

Grant number: PCI2020-120680-2 ICRAD

"Altogether, these results exhibit the diversity of CWD strains present in the panel of CWD isolates and the ability of at least some CWD isolates to infect bovine species. Cattle being one of the most important farming species, this ability represents a potential threat to both animal and human health, and consequently deserves further study."

=====end

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2023

Transmission of the chronic wasting disease agent from elk to cattle after oronasal exposure

Price of TSE Prion Poker goes up substantially, all you cattle ranchers and such, better pay close attention here...

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2023/10/transmission-of-chronic-wasting-disease.html

PRION 2023 CONTINUED;

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD vs Scrapie TSE Prion

Volume 30, Number 8—August 2024

Research

Scrapie Versus Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer

Zoe J. Lambert1, Jifeng Bian, Eric D. Cassmann, M. Heather West Greenlee, and Justin J. Greenlee

Author affiliations: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA (Z.J. Lambert); US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA (Z.J. Lambert, J. Bian, E.D. Cassmann, J.J. Greenlee); Iowa State University, Ames (Z.J. Lambert, M.H. West Greenlee) Suggested citation for this article

Abstract

White-tailed deer are susceptible to scrapie (WTD scrapie) after oronasal inoculation with the classical scrapie agent from sheep. Deer affected by WTD scrapie are difficult to differentiate from deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD). To assess the transmissibility of the WTD scrapie agent and tissue phenotypes when further passaged in white-tailed deer, we oronasally inoculated wild-type white-tailed deer with WTD scrapie agent. We found that WTD scrapie and CWD agents were generally similar, although some differences were noted. The greatest differences were seen in bioassays of cervidized mice that exhibited significantly longer survival periods when inoculated with WTD scrapie agent than those inoculated with CWD agent. Our findings establish that white-tailed deer are susceptible to WTD scrapie and that the presence of WTD scrapie agent in the lymphoreticular system suggests the handling of suspected cases should be consistent with current CWD guidelines because environmental shedding may occur.

snip…

The potential for zoonoses of cervid-derived PrPSc is still not well understood (6,18,45–47); however, interspecies transmission can increase host range and zoonotic potential (48–50). Therefore, to protect herds and the food supply, suspected cases of WTD scrapie should be handled the same as cases of CWD.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/30/8/24-0007_article

Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

Location: Virus and Prion Research

Title: Differentiation of scrapie from chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer

Author item LAMBERT, ZOE - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE) item Bian, Jifeng item Cassmann, Eric item WEST GREENLEE, HEATHER - Iowa State University item Greenlee, Justin

Submitted to: Emerging Infectious Diseases Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/13/2024 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Prion diseases are a neurodegenerative disease that can spread between animals. They are caused when the normal cellular prion protein misfolds and accumulates in the host’s central nervous system. This change is irreversible and invariably causes neurological disease and death of the host. The prion disease that affects sheep, scrapie, has been recognized for hundreds of years. However, chronic wasting disease, a similar disease found in white-tailed deer (WTD), has only been recognized since the 1960s. It has long been suggested that prion disease in deer (chronic wasting disease) was caused by the prion agent from sheep (scrapie). Recently, our lab confirmed that WTD will become infected by scrapie from sheep under conditions that mimic natural exposure. The disease produced in these animals was termed WTD scrapie. This manuscript addresses the next step in disease spread: whether sick WTD can pass WTD scrapie on to other deer. We found that white-tailed deer sick with scrapie can infect other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. The work reported in this manuscript demonstrates that CWD is difficult to differentiate from WTD scrapie. Regardless, WTD scrapie prions accumulate in the lymphoreticular system, meaning that environmental contamination is likely through feces, saliva, and other body fluids. Controlling WTD scrapie would require precautions similar to those taken with chronic wasting disease. The presence of WTD scrapie could confound mitigation efforts for chronic wasting disease. This information will be of interest to regulatory officials, the farmed cervid industry, and officials tasked with protecting animal health such as state Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, or Parks and Wildlife.

Technical Abstract: White-tailed deer (WTD) are susceptible to the scrapie agent from sheep after oronasal inoculation, termed WTD scrapie. However, results from western blotting these brainstems and lymph nodes are difficult to differentiate from WTD infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD). In order to assess the transmissibility of WTD scrapie and tissue phenotypes upon its further passage in WTD, three wildtype WTD (QQ95/GG96) were oronasally inoculated with WTD scrapie. These WTD presented with clinical signs and were euthanized between 21 and 26 months post-inoculation. Enzyme immunoassay (IDEXX) confirmed the presence of misfolded prion protein in the central nervous and lymphoreticular systems of all WTD in the study. Immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, and conformational stabilities were generally similar between the misfolded prion protein of WTD scrapie and CWD, though some differences were noted. Specifically, intraneuronal accumulation of misfolded prion protein was present in retinal ganglion cells of a WTD with WTD scrapie, not CWD. Additionally, epitope mapping revealed that the misfolded prion protein of CWD is slightly longer than that of WTD scrapie. Strong differences were seen in bioassays of cervidized mice, which exhibit significantly longer survival periods when inoculated with WTD scrapie as compared to those inoculated with CWD. Overall, this article establishes that WTD are highly susceptible to the WTD scrapie agent. Though subtle molecular differences exist between the misfolded prion protein of WTD scrapie and CWD, the presence of WTD scrapie in the lymphoreticular system determines that suspected cases be handled consistent with current guidelines for CWD.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=410511

Title: Characterization of classical sheep scrapie in white-tailed deer after experimental oronasal exposure

Author item Greenlee, Justin item MOORE, SARAH - Orise Fellow item Cassmann, Eric item LAMBERT, ZOE - Orise Fellow item Kokemuller, Robyn item Smith, Jodi item Kunkle, Robert item KONG, QINGZHONG - Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) item WEST GREENLEE, HEATHER - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Journal of Infectious Diseases Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2022 Publication Date: 11/8/2022

Citation: Greenlee, J.J., Moore, S.J., Cassmann, E.D., Lambert, Z.J., Kokemuller, R., Smith, J.D., Kunkle, R.A., Kong, Q., West Greenlee, H.M. 2022. Characterization of classical sheep scrapie in white-tailed deer after experimental oronasal exposure. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 227(12):1386-1395. Article jiac443. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac443.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac443

Interpretive Summary: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that occurs in farmed and wild cervids (deer and elk) of North America, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). TSEs are caused by infectious proteins called prions that are resistant to decontamination and environmental degradation. The origin of chronic wasting disease is not known, but it has many similarities to the TSE of sheep called scrapie. It has long been hypothesized that CWD could have arisen through transmission of sheep scrapie to deer. The purpose of this study was to determine if scrapie derived from sheep could be transmitted to white-tailed deer. This study reports that the deer inoculated with sheep scrapie developed clinical signs of TSE and that the abnormal prion protein could be detected in a wide range of neural and lymphoid tissues. These results indicate that deer may be susceptible to sheep scrapie if exposed to the disease in natural or agricultural settings . In addition, several strong similarities between CWD in white-tailed deer and the experimental cases of scrapie in white-tailed deer in this report suggest that it would be difficult to identify scrapie in deer were a case to occur. This information should be considered when developing plans to reduce or eliminate TSEs or advising farmers that wish to keep their deer herds free from prion diseases.

Technical Abstract: Scrapie is a prion disease of sheep and goats that is associated with widespread accumulation of abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) in the central nervous and lymphoid tissues. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the natural prion disease of cervid species and is similar to scrapie in sheep. The purpose of this study was to determine susceptibility of white-tailed deer (WTD) to the scrapie agent. We inoculated WTD (n=5) by a concurrent oral and intranasal exposure with the scrapie agent from sheep and (n=6) with the scrapie agent from goats. All deer exposed to the agent of scrapie from sheep 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 lesions, and widespread distribution of PrPSc in neural and lymphoid tissues. Western blots done on samples from the brainstem, cerebellum, and lymph nodes of scrapie-infected WTD have a molecular profile similar to CWD and distinct from western blots of samples from the cerebral cortex, retina, or the original sheep scrapie inoculum. WTD are susceptible to the agent of scrapie from sheep and differentiation from CWD may be difficult.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=336834

ORIGIN OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TSE PRION?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 abut 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.

IN CONFIDENCE, REPORT OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL SLOW VIRUS DISEASE IN ANIMALS IN THE USA 1989

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080102193705/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf

The occurrence of CWD must be viewed against the contest of the locations in which it occurred. It was an incidental and unwelcome complication of the respective wildlife research programmes. Despite its subsequent recognition as a new disease of cervids, therefore justifying direct investigation, no specific research funding was forthcoming. The USDA viewed it as a wildlife problem and consequently not their province!” page 26.

https://web.archive.org/web/20060307063531/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf

***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.

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11573

***> ”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.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34047228/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10406387211017615

Volume 28, Number 4—April 2022

Research

Increased Attack Rates and Decreased Incubation Periods in Raccoons with Chronic Wasting Disease Passaged through Meadow Voles

S. Jo Moore, Christina M. Carlson, Jay R. Schneider, Christopher J. Johnson, and Justin J. GreenleeComments to Author

Author affiliations: US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA (S.J. Moore, J.J. Greenlee); US Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (C.M. Carlson, J.R. Schneider, C.J. Johnson). Cite This Article

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally-occurring neurodegenerative disease of cervids. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) have previously been shown to be susceptible to the CWD agent. To investigate the potential for transmission of the agent of CWD from white-tailed deer to voles and subsequently to raccoons, we intracranially inoculated raccoons with brain homogenate from a CWD-affected white-tailed deer (CWDWtd) or derivatives of this isolate after it had been passaged through voles 1 or 5 times. We found that passage of the CWDWtd isolate through voles led to a change in the biologic behavior of the CWD agent, including increased attack rates and decreased incubation periods in raccoons. A better understanding of the dynamics of cross-species transmission of CWD prions can provide insights into how these infectious proteins evolve in new hosts.

Snip…

Prion diseases of free-ranging animals do not exist in isolation. Meadow voles and raccoons are widespread in North America, and their habitat ranges overlap with those of CWD-affected white-tailed deer and other cervids. Therefore, a substantial potential for exposure of these or other off-target species to CWD infectivity in the environment exists. We have demonstrated that CWDWtd from a GS96 white-tailed deer transmitted readily to raccoons. Passage of this isolate through voles followed by intracranial inoculation of raccoons with vole-derived inoculum resulted in disease with different biologic characteristics and neuropathology than the original CWDWtd isolate. These results provide strong evidence for the emergence of a novel strain of CWD after passage in meadow voles and raccoons. Therefore, interspecies transmission of CWD prions between cervids and noncervid species that share the same habitat might represent a confounding factor in CWD-management programs. In addition, passage of CWD prions threw off-target species might represent a source of novel CWD strains with unknown biologic characteristics, including zoonotic potential. Characterization of the biologic behavior of CWD isolates after cross-species transmission will help us develop more effective management strategies for CWD-affected populations.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28/4/21-0271_article

Title: The chronic wasting disease agent from white-tailed deer is highly infectious to humanized mice after passage through raccoons

Author item Cassmann, Eric item QI, XU - Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) item KONG, QINGZHONG - Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) item Greenlee, Justin

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2023 Publication Date: 5/30/2023 Citation: Cassmann, E.D., Qi, X., Kong, Q., Greenlee, J.J. 2023. The chronic wasting disease agent from white-tailed deer is highly infectious to humanized mice after passage through raccoons (abstract). Meeting Abstract. 4th International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium, May 30-June 3, 2023, Denver, Colorado. Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The aim of this study was to 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 (WTD) host. Pooled brain (GG96) from CWD positive deer was used to intracranially inoculate two WTD and one raccoon. Brain homogenates (10% w/v) from the raccoon and the WTD were used to intracranially inoculate transgenic mice (Tg40h) expressing the methionine 109 human prion protein. 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. Tg40h mice inoculated with the raccoon passaged CWD agent from WTD exhibited a 100% (12/12) attack rate with an average incubation period of 605 days. PrPSc was detected in brain tissue by enzyme immunoassay with an average optical density of 3.6/4.0 for positive brains. PrPSc also was detected in brain tissue by western blot and immunohistochemistry. No PrPSc was detected in the spleens of mice inoculated with the raccoon passaged CWD agent. Humanized mice inoculated with the CWD agent from WTD did not have detectable PrPSc using conventional immunoassay techniques. These results demonstrated that the host range of the CWD agent from WTD was expanded in our experimental model after one passage through raccoons.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=400777

CDC CWD TSE Prion Zoonotic Humans Update 2025

KEY POINTS

Chronic wasting disease affects deer, elk and similar animals in the United States and a few other countries.

The disease hasn't been shown to infect people.

***> However, it might be a risk to people if they have contact with or eat meat from animals infected with CWD.

https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-wasting/about/index.html

Prions in Muscles of Cervids with Chronic Wasting Disease, Norway

Volume 31, Number 2—February 2025

Research

Prions in Muscles of Cervids with Chronic Wasting Disease, Norway

Snip…

In summary, the results of our study indicate that prions are widely distributed in peripheral and edible tissues of cervids in Norway, including muscles. This finding highlights the risk of human exposure to small amounts of prions through handling and consuming infected cervids. Nevertheless, we note that this study did not investigate the zoonotic potential of the Norway CWD prions. In North America, humans have historically consumed meat from CWD-infected animals, which has been documented to harbor prions (35,44–47). Despite the potential exposure to prions, no epidemiologic evidence indicates a correlation between the occurrence of CWD cases in animals and the prevalence of human prion diseases (48). A recent bioassay study reported no transmissions from 3 Nordic isolates into transgenic mice expressing human PrP (49). Therefore, our findings should be interpreted with caution in terms of human health implications, and further research is required to determine the zoonotic potential of these CWD strains.

The presence of prions in peripheral tissues indicates that CWD may have a systemic nature in all Norwegian cervid species, challenging the view that prions are exclusively localized in the CNS in sporadic CWD of moose and red deer. Our findings expand the notion of just how widely distributed prions can be in cervids affected with CWD and call into question the capability of emerging CWD strains in terms of infectivity to other species, including humans.

Appendix

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0903-app1.pdf

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0903_article

Volume 31, Number 2—February 2025

Dispatch

Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Raw, Processed, and Cooked Elk Meat, Texas, USA

Rebeca Benavente, Fraser Brydon, Francisca Bravo-Risi, Paulina Soto, J. Hunter Reed, Mitch Lockwood, Glenn Telling, Marcelo A. Barria, and Rodrigo MoralesComments to Author

Snip…

CWD prions have been detected in the muscle of both farmed and wild deer (10), and at concentrations relevant to sustain disease transmission (11). CWD prions have also been identified across several cervid species and in multiple tissues, including lymph nodes, spleen, tongue, intestines, adrenal gland, eyes, reproductive tissues, ears, lungs, and liver, among others (12–14). Those findings raise concerns about the safety of ingesting processed meats that contain tissues other than skeletal muscle (15) (Appendix). https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0906-app1.pdf .

In addition, those findings highlight the need for continued vigilance and research on the transmission risks of prion diseases and for development of new preventative and detection measures to ensure the safety of the human food supply.

Snip…

Overall, our study results confirm previous reports describing the presence of CWD prions in elk muscles (13). The data also demonstrated CWD prion persistence in food products even after processing through different procedures, including the addition of salts, spices, and other edible elements. Of note, our data show that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. Considering the potential implications in food safety and public health, we believe that the findings described in this study warrant further research. Our results suggest that although the elk meat used in this study resisted different manipulations involved in subsequent consumption by humans, their zoonotic potential was limited. Nevertheless, even though no cases of CWD transmission to human have been reported, the potential for human infection is still unclear and continued monitoring for zoonotic potential is warranted.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0906_article

Detection of chronic wasting disease prions in processed meats

Rebeca Benavente1 , Francisca Bravo1,2, J. Hunter Reed3 , Mitch Lockwood3 , Glenn Telling4 , Rodrigo Morales1,2 1 Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA; 2 Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins. Santiago, Chile; 3 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas, USA. 4 Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

Aims: identify the presence of CWD prions in processed meats derived from elk.

Materials and Methods: In this study, we analyzed different processed meats derived from a CWD-positive (pre-clinical) free-ranging elk. Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats. The presence of CWD-prions in these samples were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates. The same analyses were performed in grilled and boiled meats to evaluate the resistance of the infectious agent to these procedures.

Results: Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities. This data suggests that CWD-prions are available to people even after meats are processed and cooked.

Conclusions: These results suggest CWD prions are accessible to humans through meats, even after processing and cooking. Considering the fact that these samples were collected from already processed specimens, the availability of CWD prions to humans is probably underestimated.

Funded by: NIH and USDA

Grant number: 1R01AI132695 and APP-20115 to RM

Acknowledgement: We would like to thank TPWD personnel for providing us with valuable samples

"Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities."

end...

PRION 2023 CONTINUED;

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

The detection and decontamination of chronic wasting disease prions during venison processing

Aims: There is a growing concern that chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions in venison pose a risk to human health. CWD prions accumulate in infected deer tissues that commonly enter the human food chain through meat processing and consumption. The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration and US Department of Agriculture now formally consider CWD-positive venison unfit for human and animal consumption. Yet, the degree to which prion contamination occurs during routine venison processing is unknown. Here, we use environmental surface swab methods to:

a) experimentally test meat processing equipment (i.e., stainless steel knives and polyethylene cutting boards) before and after processing CWD-positive venison and

b) test the efficacy of five different disinfectant types (i.e., Dawn dish soap, Virkon-S, Briotech, 10% bleach, and 40% bleach) to determine prion decontamination efficacy.

Materials and Methods: We used a real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to determine CWD infection status of venison and to detect CWD prions in the swabs. We collected three swabs per surface and ran eight technical replicates on RT-QuIC.

Results: CWD prions were detected on all cutting boards (n= 3; replicates= 8/8, 8/8, 8/8 and knives (n= 3; replicates= 8/8, 8/8, 8/8) used in processing CWD-positive venison, but not on those used for CWD-negative venison. After processing CWD-positive venison, allowing the surfaces to dry, and washing the cutting board with Dawn dish soap, we detected CWD prions on the cutting board surface (n= 3; replicates= 8/8, 8/8, 8/8) but not on the knife (n= 3, replicates = 0/8, 0/8, 0/8). Similar patterns were observed with Briotech (cutting board: n= 3; replicates= 7/8, 1/8, 0/8; knife: n= 3; replicates = 0/8, 0/8, 0/8). We did not detect CWD prions on the knives or cutting boards after disinfecting with Virkon-S, 10% bleach, and 40% bleach.

Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that Dawn dish soap and Briotech do not reliably decontaminate CWD prions from these surfaces. Our data suggest that Virkon-S and various bleach concentrations are more effective in reducing prion contamination of meat processing surfaces; however, surface type may also influence the ability of prions to adsorb to surfaces, preventing complete decontamination. Our results will directly inform best practices to prevent the introduction of CWD prions into the human food chain during venison processing.

Prion 2023 Abstracts

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

DETECTION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PRIONS IN PROCESSED MEATS.

Abstract

The zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains unknown. Currently, there are no known natural cases of CWD transmission to humans but increasing evidence suggests that the host range of CWD is not confined only to cervid species. Alarmingly, recent experimental evidence suggests that certain CWD isolates can induce disease in non-human primates. While the CDC strongly recommends determining CWD status in animals prior to consumption, this practice is voluntary. Consequently, it is plausible that a proportion of the cervid meat entering the human food chain may be contaminated with CWD. Of additional concern is that traditional diagnostic techniques used to detect CWD have relatively low sensitivity and are only approved for use in tissues other than those typically ingested by humans. In this study, we analyzed different processed meats derived from a pre-clinical, CWD-positive free-ranging elk. Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, ham steaks, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats. CWD-prion presence in these products were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates. Our results show positive prion detection in all products. To confirm the resilience of CWD-prions to traditional cooking methods, we grilled and boiled the meat products and evaluated them for any remnant PMCA seeding activity. Results confirmed the presence of CWD-prions in these meat products suggesting that infectious particles may still be available to people even after cooking. Our results strongly suggest ongoing human exposure to CWD-prions and raise significant concerns of zoonotic transmission through ingestion of CWD contaminated meat products.

***> Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, ham steaks, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats.

***> CWD-prion presence in these products were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates.

***> Our results show positive prion detection in all products.

***> Results confirmed the presence of CWD-prions in these meat products suggesting that infectious particles may still be available to people even after cooking.

***> Our results strongly suggest ongoing human exposure to CWD-prions and raise significant concerns of zoonotic transmission through ingestion of CWD contaminated meat products.

https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true

Transmission of prion infectivity from CWD-infected macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.

Samia Hannaoui1,2, Ginny Cheng1,2, Wiebke Wemheuer3, Walter Schulz-Schaeffer3, Sabine Gilch1,2, Hermann Schatzl1,2 1University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. 2Calgary Prion Research Unit, Calgary, Canada. 3Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany

Snip…

***> Further passage to cervidized mice revealed transmission with a 100% attack rate.

***> Our findings demonstrate that macaques, considered the best model for the zoonotic potential of prions, were infected upon CWD challenge, including the oral one.

****> The disease manifested as atypical in macaques and initial transgenic mouse transmissions, but with infectivity present at all times, as unveiled in the bank vole model with an unusual tissue tropism.

***> Epidemiologic surveillance of prion disease among cervid hunters and people likely to have consumed venison contaminated with chronic wasting disease

=====

https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true

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

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 tg650brain 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.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2022.2091286

Fortuitous generation of a zoonotic cervid prion strain

Aims: Whether CWD prions can infect humans remains unclear despite the very substantial scale and long history of human exposure of CWD in many states or provinces of USA and Canada. Multiple in vitro conversion experiments and in vivo animal studies indicate that the CWD-to-human transmission barrier is not unbreakable. A major long-term 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.

Materials and Methods: We inoculated several sCJD brain samples into cervidized transgenic mice (Tg12), which were intended as negative controls for bioassays of brain tissues from sCJD cases who had potentially been exposed to CWD. Some of the Tg12 mice became infected and their brain tissues were further examined by Western blot as well as 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 the original CJDElkPrP in transgenic mice expressing human PrP. We passaged CJDElkPrP two more times in the Tg12 mice. We found that such second and third passage CJDElkPrP prions retained 100% transmission rate in the humanized mice, despite that the natural elk CWD isolates and CJDElkPrP share the same elk PrP sequence. In contrast, we and others found zero or poor transmission of natural elk CWD isolates in humanized mice.

Conclusions: Our data indicate that highly zoonotic cervid prion strains are not only possible but also can retain zoonotic potential after serial passages in cervids, suggesting a very significant and serious long-term risk of CWD zoonosis given that the broad and continuing spread of CWD prions will provide fertile grounds for the emergence of zoonotic CWD strains over time.

https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf

The finding that infectious PrPSc was shed in fecal material of CWD-infected humanized mice and induced clinical disease, different tropism, and typical three banding pattern-PrPres in bank voles that is transmissible upon second passage is highly concerning for public health. The fact that this biochemical signature in bank voles resembles that of the Wisc-1 original deer isolate and is different from that of bvWisc-1, in the migration profile and the glyco-form-ratio, is valid evidence that these results are not a product of contamination in our study. If CWD in humans is found to be contagious and transmissible among humans, as it is in cervids [57], the spread of the disease within humans might become endemic.

Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD

Acta Neuropathol 144, 767–784 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

Published

22 August 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD

Samia Hannaoui1 · Irina Zemlyankina1 · Sheng Chun Chang1 · Maria Immaculata Arifn1 · Vincent Béringue2 · Debbie McKenzie3 · Hermann M. Schatzl1 · Sabine Gilch1

Received: 24 May 2022 / Revised: 5 August 2022 / Accepted: 7 August 2022

© The Author(s) 2022

Abstract

Prions cause infectious and fatal neurodegenerative diseases in mammals. 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 provide evidence for a zoonotic potential of CWD prions, and its probable signature using mice expressing human prion protein (PrP) as an infection model. Inoculation of these mice with deer CWD isolates resulted in atypical clinical manifestation with prion seeding activity and efficient transmissible infectivity in the brain and, remarkably, in feces, but without classical neuropathological or Western blot appearances of prion diseases. Intriguingly, the protease-resistant PrP in the brain resembled that found in a familial human prion disease and was transmissible upon second passage. Our results suggest that CWD might infect humans, although the transmission barrier is likely higher compared to zoonotic transmission of cattle prions. Notably, our data suggest a different clinical presentation, prion signature, and tissue tropism, which causes challenges for detection by current diagnostic assays. 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.

Keywords Chronic wasting disease · CWD · Zoonotic potential · Prion strains · Zoonotic prions

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS STUDY

================================

Our results suggest that CWD might infect humans, although the transmission barrier is likely higher compared to zoonotic transmission of cattle prions. Notably, our data suggest a different clinical presentation, prion signature, and tissue tropism, which causes challenges for detection by current diagnostic assays. 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.

In this study, we evaluated the zoonotic potential of CWD using a transgenic mouse model overexpressing human M129-PrPC (tg650 [12]). We inoculated tg650 mice intracerebrally with two deer CWD isolates, Wisc-1 and 116AG [22, 23, 27, 29]. 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. We demonstrated in a human transgenic mouse model that the species barrier for transmission of CWD to humans is not absolute. The fact that its signature was not typical raises the questions whether CWD would manifest in humans as a subclinical infection, whether it would arise through direct or indirect transmission including an intermediate host, or a silent to uncovered human-to-human transmission, and whether current detection techniques will be suffcient to unveil its presence.

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.

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 defined 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 profile and the N-terminal cleavage site.

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.

“suggesting a potential for human-to-human transmission and a real iatrogenic risk that might be unrecognizable.”

=================================

Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

snip...see full text;

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9.pdf

“The finding that infectious PrPSc was shed in fecal material of CWD-infected humanized mice and induced clinical disease, different tropism, and typical three banding pattern-PrPres in bank voles that is transmissible upon second passage is highly concerning for public health. The fact that this biochemical signature in bank voles resembles that of the Wisc-1 original deer isolate and is different from that of bvWisc-1, in the migration profile and the glyco-form-ratio, is valid evidence that these results are not a product of contamination in our study. If CWD in humans is found to be contagious and transmissible among humans, as it is in cervids [57], the spread of the disease within humans might become endemic.”

Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD

Acta Neuropathol 144, 767–784 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

Published

22 August 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9

EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) Antonia Ricci Ana Allende Declan Bolton Marianne Chemaly Robert Davies Pablo Salvador Fernández Escámez ...

First published: 17 January 2018 https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5132

also, see;

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.

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5132

''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

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

====

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

END…tss

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.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=313160

***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.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19336896.2016.1163048?journalCode=kprn20

***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.

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11573

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=361032

O.05: Transmission of prions to primates after extended silent incubation periods: Implications for BSE and scrapie risk assessment in human populations

*** 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.

==============

PRION 2015 CONFERENCE

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5019500/

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 1933-690X

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.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19336896.2016.1163048?journalCode=kprn20

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Evidence for zoonotic potential of ovine scrapie prions

Hervé Cassard,1, n1 Juan-Maria Torres,2, n1 Caroline Lacroux,1, Jean-Yves Douet,1, Sylvie L. Benestad,3, Frédéric Lantier,4, Séverine Lugan,1, Isabelle Lantier,4, Pierrette Costes,1, Naima Aron,1, Fabienne Reine,5, Laetitia Herzog,5, Juan-Carlos Espinosa,2, Vincent Beringue5, & Olivier Andréoletti1, Affiliations Contributions Corresponding author Journal name: Nature Communications

Volume: 5, Article number: 5821 DOI: doi:10.1038/ncomms6821 Received 07 August 2014 Accepted 10 November 2014 Published 16 December 2014

Abstract

Although Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is the cause of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans, the zoonotic potential of scrapie prions remains unknown. Mice genetically engineered to overexpress the human prion protein (tgHu) have emerged as highly relevant models for gauging the capacity of prions to transmit to humans. These models can propagate human prions without any apparent transmission barrier and have been used used to confirm the zoonotic ability of BSE. Here we show that a panel of sheep scrapie prions transmit to several tgHu mice models with an efficiency comparable to that of cattle BSE.

***The serial transmission of different scrapie isolates in these mice led to the propagation of prions that are phenotypically identical to those causing sporadic CJD (sCJD) in humans.

***These results demonstrate that scrapie prions have a zoonotic potential and raise new questions about the possible link between animal and human prions.

Subject terms: Biological sciences• Medical research At a glance

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/141216/ncomms6821/full/ncomms6821.html

Friday, February 21, 2025

CWD, BAITING, AND MINERAL LICKS, WHAT IF?

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/cwd-baiting-and-mineral-licks-what-if.html

Friday, February 21, 2025

Deer don’t die from CWD, it’s the insurance companies, or it's a Government conspiracy?

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/deer-dont-die-from-cwd-its-insurance.html

Friday, February 21, 2025

LEGISLATING CWD TSE Prion, Bills to release Genetically Modified Cervid into the wild, what could go wrong?

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/legislating-cwd-tse-prion-bills-to.html

SUNDAY, APRIL 06, 2025

Failure to prevent classical scrapie after repeated decontamination of a barn

https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/165/failure-prevent-scrapie-repeated-decontamination

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/failure-to-prevent-classical-scrapie.html

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025

CWD TSE Prion, Politics, Friendly Fire, Unforeseen Consequences, What If?

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/cwd-tse-prion-politics-friendly-fire.html

Friday, February 21, 2025

Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease in North America February 2025

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/distribution-of-chronic-wasting-disease.html

Recently, two young individuals, aged 15 and 21, were diagnosed with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) in Canada and the United States, respectively (D'Arcy et al., 2019; Ahn et al., 2024).

https://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/cases-of-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-in.html

***> Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease CJD, BSE, CWD, TSE, Prion, December 14, 2024 Annual Update

https://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2024/12/creutzfeldt-jacob-disease-cjd-bse-cwd.html

So, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?

***> Missouri Year by Year History of CWD TSE Prion

MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2023

Missouri MDC reports 117 new cases of CWD for 2022 surveillance year

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2023/04/missouri-mdc-reports-117-new-cases-of.html

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023

Missouri CWD TSE PRION 2022-2023 Sampling Results to Date 74 Positive

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2023/01/missouri-cwd-tse-prion-2022-2023.html

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

Missouri MDC reports final CWD results for 2021 deer season with 86 testing positive for CWD

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2022/04/missouri-mdc-reports-final-cwd-results.html

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2021

Missouri CWD TSE PrP 28 confirmed positive test results so far for the current sampling season (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022)

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2021/12/missouri-cwd-tse-prp-28-confirmed.html

WEDNESDAY, MAY 06, 2020

Missouri 46 new cases Chronic Wasting Disease found, total to date at 162 documented CWD

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2020/05/missouri-46-new-cases-chronic-wasting.html

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

Missouri MDC 2019-2020 SAMPLING RESULTS CWD TSE PRION TO DATE 28 Positive

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2020/02/missouri-mdc-2019-2020-sampling-results.html

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020

Missouri CWD TSE Prion 2019-2020 SAMPLING RESULTS TO DATE 25 Positive

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2020/01/missouri-cwd-tse-prion-2019-2020.html

THURSDAY, JANUARY 02, 2020

Missouri MDC officially reports more than 20 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2020/01/missouri-mdc-officially-reports-more.html

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019

Missouri MDC TESTS SHOW SEVEN NEW CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES IN SOUTHEAST

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2019/12/missouri-mdc-tests-show-seven-new.html

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019

Missouri MDC Confirms 24 New Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2019/12/missouri-mdc-confirms-24-new-cases-of.html

THURSDAY, JUNE 06, 2019

Missouri MDC proposes new efforts to limit spread of CWD TSE Prion To Date 116 Cases Confirmed

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2019/06/missouri-mdc-proposes-new-efforts-to.html

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

Missouri MDC reports 41 new positive test results for CWD have been confirmed following its sampling

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2019/04/missouri-mdc-reports-41-new-positive.html

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Missouri MDC finds seven new cases of ChronicWasting Disease CWD during past‐season testing

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2016/04/missouri-mdc-finds-seven-new-cases-of.html

Saturday, September 05, 2015

Missouri Captive Cervid Industry, CWD TSE Prion, and Procrastinating for Money, while mad deer and elk disease silently spreads

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2015/09/missouri-captive-cervid-industry-cwd.html

Tuesday, June 16, 2015 

Missouri MDC changes deer hunting regs to help slow CWD 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2015/06/missouri-mdc-changes-deer-hunting-regs.html

Wednesday, March 11, 2015 

MDC reports 11 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD in Missouri deer 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2015/03/mdc-reports-11-new-cases-of-chronic.html

Monday, January 26, 2015 

Missouri MDC reports two new cases of CWD found in Adair and Macon counties 

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-reports-two-new-cases-cwd-found-adair-and-macon-counties

Tuesday, December 09, 2014 

Missouri MDC reports one new case of CWD, found in Adair County 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/12/missouri-mdc-reports-one-new-case-of.html

Friday, October 17, 2014 

Missouri Final action on Orders of Rule making Breeders and Big Game Hunting Preserves 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/10/missouri-final-action-on-orders-of-rule.html

Thursday, September 11, 2014 

Missouri Nixon's Veto Stands Overide Fails on Agriculture Legislation How they voted: attempt to override veto of ag bill fails in the House 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/09/missouri-nixons-veto-stands-overide.html

Thursday, May 01, 2014 

Missouri DNR CWD prevention and captive cervid farming Update 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/05/missouri-dnr-cwd-prevention-and-captive.html

Friday, September 20, 2013 

*** Missouri State records show gaps in oversight of captive deer farms, ranches ***

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/09/missouri-state-records-show-gaps-in.html

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 

CWD Missouri remains confined to Linn-Macon-County Core Area with four new cases 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/03/cwd-missouri-remains-confined-to-linn.html

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 

Missouri sixth case CWD documented northwest Macon County 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/01/missouri-sixth-case-cwd-documented.html

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 

CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County Missouri 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/01/cwd-found-in-two-free-ranging-deer-from.html

Friday, February 26, 2010 

Chronic wasting disease found in Missouri deer 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/02/chronic-wasting-disease-found-in.html

Sunday, March 25, 2012 

Three more cases of CWD found in free-ranging deer in Macon County 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-more-cases-of-cwd-found-in-free.html

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 6:26 PM 

To: warhovert@missouri.edu

Cc: abbottjm@missouri.edu ; waltermr@missouri.edu ; John.McLaughlin@missouri.edu ; connerek@missouri.edu ; contact@dnr.mo.gov ; Shelly.Witt@mda.mo.gov ; Animal.Health@mda.mo.gov ; acfa@mda.mo.gov ; animalid@mda.mo.gov ; Linda.Hickam@mda.mo.gov

Subject: re-Missouri officials seek states' advice on chronic wasting disease in deer 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/03/missouri-officials-seek-states-advice.html

Thursday, May 31, 2012 

Missouri MDC staff will provide information on five recently found cases of CWD in free-ranging deer in northwest Macon County June 2, 2012 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/05/missouri-mdc-staff-will-provide.html

Wednesday, September 05, 2012 

Missouri MDC seeks hunters’ help when processing harvested deer and preventing CWD 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/09/missouri-mdc-seeks-hunters-help-when.html

Thursday, December 20, 2012 

MISSOURI Initial CWD sampling test results available online from MDC so far one adult buck has tested positive for the disease 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/12/missouri-initial-cwd-sampling-test.html

Friday, October 21, 2011 

Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Captive Deer Missouri 

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2011/10/chronic-wasting-disease-found-in.html

The Missouri Department of Agriculture discovers the state's first case of CWD in a captive white-tailed deer. 

http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/about.timeline

Friday, February 26, 2010 

Chronic wasting disease found in Missouri deer 

February 25, 2010 

Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Captive Deer The Missouri Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Health and Senior Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that a captive white-tailed deer in Linn County, Missouri has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). 

CWD is a neurological disease found in deer, elk and moose. "There is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to domestic animals or humans," said State Veterinarian Dr. Taylor Woods. "We have protocols in place to quickly and effectively handle these situations." 

The animal that tested positive for CWD was a white-tailed deer inspected as part of the State's CWD surveillance and testing program. 

Preliminary tests were conducted by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Upon receiving the confirmed CWD positive, Missouri's departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Health and Senior Services initiated their CWD Contingency Plan. The plan was developed in 2002 by the Cervid Health Committee, a task force comprised of veterinarians, animal health officers and conservation officers from USDA, MDA, MDC and DHSS working together to mitigate challenges associated with CWD. 

CWD is transmitted by live animal to animal contact or soil to animal contact. 

The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in the Colorado Division of Wildlife captive wildlife research facility in Fort Collins, Colorado. 

CWD has been documented in deer and/or elk in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

There has been no evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans.

"Missouri's proactive steps to put a testing protocol in place and create a contingency plan years ago is proving beneficial. We are in a solid position to follow pre-established steps to ensure Missouri's valuable whitetail deer resource remains healthy and strong," said Jason Sumners Missouri's Deer Biologist. For more information regarding CWD, please contact Dr. Taylor Woods at (573) 751-3377. 

http://mda.mo.gov/news/2010/Chronic_Wasting_Disease_Found_in_Captive_Deer

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

Good Luck!

Terry S. Singeltary Sr.