Wednesday, November 17, 2010

CWD Update 98 November 10, 2010

CWD Update 98

November 10, 2010

State and Provincial Updates

Wisconsin:

The following press release was issued on November 15, 2010 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1911):


DNR asks for hunters help on Ashland area deer disease surveillance

Contact(s): Davin Lopez (608) 267-2948 Peter Dunn 608-317-8417

ASHLAND, WI. –The Department of Natural Resources is asking Ashland and Bayfield county hunters to help with surveillance efforts to see if chronic wasting disease may be present in free-ranging, wild deer the area.

Sampling stations where hunters can bring deer for disease testing will be at the following locations on opening weekend Nov. 20 and 21.

Pearce’s Sausage Kitchen - 61327 Dalhstrom Road, Ashland

Angler’s All – 2803 Lakeshore Drive. E. Ashland

Woody’s Taxidermy – 1109 Vaughn Avenue, Ashland

Bayside Taxidermy – 1110 Lakeshore Drive, Ashland

Chequamegon Taxidermy – 73740 Strecker Road, Washburn

Brian Weber Processing – 29125 State Hwy 137, Ashland

Ino Bar – 19020 US Hwy 2, Ino

Washburn Holiday Station- 606 W. Bayfield St., Washburn

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) indicated Thursday, Nov. 11, that preliminary-positive test results on a deer removed in October from a game farm southwest of Ashland indicated possible presence of chronic wasting disease. Confirmatory testing of the tissues is underway and must be completed before DATCP officials can make a final determination. DATCP is responsible for the regulation of deer farm operations.

In order to find out if the disease has also made its way into the adjoining wild deer herd, DNR will begin a disease surveillance effort immediately and continue through the nine day deer gun season within a 10 mile radius around the city of Ashland. DNR will send staff to four big game registration stations to collect tissue samples. DNR hopes to gather samples on every adult deer registered. Department staff is also working with local meat processors, taxidermists, and car kill deer contractors to collect samples.

"While we don’t have the final test results at this time (Monday, Nov.15) we feel it’s prudent to do the surveillance based upon the preliminary information," said Mike Zeckmeister, DNR northern region wildlife supervisor. "The upcoming deer season is really the best opportunity for local hunters to assist in rapidly and efficiently collecting these samples."

Wisconsin wildlife officials stress that this is the first time captive herd surveillance testing suggests CWD may be present on a farm in northern Wisconsin. Two rounds of testing in wild deer since 2002 have found all wild deer healthy in northern Wisconsin to date.

In October, local conservation wardens completed a fence inspection on the farm as part of a land sale. During this inspection wardens found several breaches in the fence and indications that deer may have moved in and out of the farm.

"Wardens are continuing to inspect the fence and work with the farmer to ensure that the fence meets DNR specifications," said Dave Zebro, DNR Northern Region conservation warden supervisor.

"The possibility that free ranging deer may have been exposed to the disease is why we feel additional local disease surveillance is very important. We’re counting on help from the hunters to get the needed samples" Zeckmeister said.

The World Health Organization stresses that there is no known link between CWD in deer and the human version of this prion disease, however, people should no eat any deer that tests positive for CWD, appears sick or is acting strangely. Officials request that people report all such deer to a DNR biologist or warden.

Hunters supplying deer tissue samples for testing will be able to track test results for their deer on the department’s website: dnr.wi.gov. Test results will take three to four weeks to be posted.

Wisconsin:

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also recently finalized their new "Wisconsin’s Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan: 2010–2025." The plan can be viewed at: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/whealth/issues/CWD/plan.htm.


New York:

Since the discovery of two white-tailed deer with CWD in 2005, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has found no additional cases of the disease. Subsequently, they have "decommissioned" their CWD containment area. CWD surveillance will continue in the state, and carcass import restrictions still apply. Additional information is available on the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8325.html.


Recent Publications

Environmental Sources of Scrapie Prions

Ben C. Maddison, Claire A. Baker, Linda A. Terry, Susan J. Bellworthy, Leigh Thorne, Helen C. Rees, and Kevin C. Gough

Journal of Virology, November 2010, p. 11560-11562, Vol. 84, No. 21.

Abstract

Ovine scrapie and cervine chronic wasting disease show considerable horizontal transmission. Here we report that a scrapie-affected sheep farm has a widespread environmental contamination with prions. Prions were amplified by protein-misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA) from seven of nine environmental swab samples taken, including those from metal, plastic, and wooden surfaces. Sheep had been removed from the areas from which the swabs were taken up to 20 days prior to sampling, indicating that prions persist for at least that long. These data implicate inanimate objects as environmental reservoirs for prion infectivity that are likely to contribute to facile disease transmission.

http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/84/21/11560.


Experimental oral transmission of chronic wasting disease to red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus): Early detection and late stage distribution of protease-resistant prion protein

Aru Balachandran, Noel P. Harrington, James Algire, Andrei Soutyrine, Terry R. Spraker, Martin Jeffrey, Lorenzo González, and Katherine I. O’Rourke

Can Vet J. 2010 February; 51(2): 169–178.

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), an important emerging prion disease of cervids, is readily transmitted by intracerebral or oral inoculation from deer-to-deer and elk-to-elk, suggesting the latter is a natural route of exposure. Studies of host range susceptibility to oral infection, particularly of those species found in habitats where CWD currently exists are imperative. This report describes the experimental transmission of CWD to red deer following oral inoculation with infectious CWD material of elk origin. At 18 to 20 months post-inoculation, mild to moderate neurological signs and weight loss were observed and animals were euthanized and tested using 3 conventional immunological assays. The data indicate that red deer are susceptible to oral challenge and that tissues currently used for CWD diagnosis show strong abnormal prion (PrPCWD) accumulation. Widespread peripheral PrPCWD deposition involves lymphoreticular tissues, endocrine tissues, and cardiac muscle and suggests a potential source of prion infectivity, a means of horizontal transmission and carrier state.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2808282/


Estimating Chronic Wasting Disease Effects on Mule Deer Recruitment and Population Growth

Jessie Dulberger, N. Thompson Hobbs, Heather M. Swanson, Chad J. Bishop, and Michael W. Miller

Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 46(4), 2010, pp. 1086–1095.

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), accelerates mortality and in so doing has the potential to influence population dynamics. Although effects on mule deer survival are clear, how CWD affects recruitment is less certain. We studied how prion infection influenced the number of offspring raised to weaning per adult (=2 yr old) female mule deer and subsequently the estimated growth rate (?) of an infected deer herd. Infected and presumably uninfected radio-collared female deer were observed with their fawns in late summer (August–September) during three consecutive years (2006–2008) in the Table Mesa area of Boulder, Colorado, USA. We counted the number of fawns accompanying each female, then used a fully Bayesian model to estimate recruitment by infected and uninfected females and the effect of the disease on ?. On average, infected females weaned 0.95 fawns (95% credible interval = 0.56–1.43) whereas uninfected females weaned 1.34 fawns (95% credible interval = 1.09–1.61); the probability that uninfected females weaned more fawns than infected females was 0.93). We used estimates of prevalence to weight recruitment and survival parameters in the transition matrix of a three-age, single-sex matrix model and then used the matrix to calculate effects of CWD on ?. When effects of CWD on both survival and recruitment were included, the modeled ? was 0.97 (95% credible interval = 0.82–1.09). Effects of disease on ? were mediated almost entirely by elevated mortality of infected animals. We conclude that although CWD may affect mule deer recruitment, these effects seem to be sufficiently small that they can be omitted in estimating the influences of CWD on population growth rate.

http://www.jwildlifedis.org/cgi/content/abstract/46/4/1086.


Prion Strain Mutation Determined by Prion Protein Conformational Compatibility and Primary Structure

Rachel C. Angers, Hae-Eun Kang, Dana Napier, Shawn Browning, Tanya Seward, Candace Mathiason, Aru Balachandran, Debbie McKenzie, Joaquín Castilla, Claudio Soto, Jean Jewell, Catherine Graham, Edward A. Hoover, Glenn C. Telling

Science 28 May 2010:Vol. 328. no. 5982, pp. 1154 - 1158

Abstract

Prions are infectious proteins composed of the abnormal disease-causing isoform PrPSc, which induces conformational conversion of the host-encoded normal cellular prion protein PrPC to additional PrPSc. The mechanism underlying prion strain mutation in the absence of nucleic acids remains unresolved. Additionally, the frequency of strains causing chronic wasting disease (CWD), a burgeoning prion epidemic of cervids, is unknown. Using susceptible transgenic mice, we identified two prevalent CWD strains with divergent biological properties but composed of PrPSc with indistinguishable biochemical characteristics. Although CWD transmissions indicated stable, independent strain propagation by elk PrPC, strain coexistence in the brains of deer and transgenic mice demonstrated unstable strain propagation by deer PrPC. The primary structures of deer and elk prion proteins differ at residue 226, which, in concert with PrPSc conformational compatibility, determines prion strain mutation in these cervids.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/328/5982/1154.


Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Susceptibility of Several North American Rodents That Are Sympatric with Cervid CWD Epidemics

Dennis M. Heisey, Natalie A. Mickelsen, Jay R. Schneider, Christopher J. Johnson, Chad J. Johnson, Julia A. Langenberg, Philip N. Bochsler, Delwyn P. Keane, and Daniel J. Barr

Journal of Virology, January 2010, p. 210-215, Vol. 84, No. 1.

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a highly contagious always fatal neurodegenerative disease that is currently known to naturally infect only species of the deer family, Cervidae. CWD epidemics are occurring in free-ranging cervids at several locations in North America, and other wildlife species are certainly being exposed to infectious material. To assess the potential for transmission, we intracerebrally inoculated four species of epidemic-sympatric rodents with CWD. Transmission was efficient in all species; the onset of disease was faster in the two vole species than the two Peromyscus spp. The results for inocula prepared from CWD-positive deer with or without CWD-resistant genotypes were similar. Survival times were substantially shortened upon second passage, demonstrating adaptation. Unlike all other known prion protein sequences for cricetid rodents that possess asparagine at position 170, our red-backed voles expressed serine and refute previous suggestions that a serine in this position substantially reduces susceptibility to CWD. Given the scavenging habits of these rodent species, the apparent persistence of CWD prions in the environment, and the inevitable exposure of these rodents to CWD prions, our intracerebral challenge results indicate that further investigation of the possibility of natural transmission is warranted.

http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/84/1/210



Influence of genetic relatedness and spatial proximity on chronic wasting disease infection among female white-tailed deer

Daniel A. Grear, Michael D. Samuel, Kim T. Scribner, Byron V. Weckworth, Julie A. Langenberg

Journal of Applied Ecology: Volume 47, Issue 3, pages 532–540, June 2010

Abstract

1. Social organization and interactions among individuals are suspected to play important roles in the transmission and potential management of wildlife diseases. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate sociality in wildlife disease transmission. We evaluated the hypothesis of socially facilitated transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among adult female white-tailed deer using spatial location and genetic relatedness for 1387 female deer, and spatial locations of 1321 adult male deer harvested during 2002–2004 CWD control efforts in Wisconsin, USA.

2. Genetically related female deer were significantly clustered at distances of <3·2 km. However, spatial autocorrelation based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA was 50-fold higher than relatedness estimated from microsatellite loci, indicating spatial overlap of females from different social groups with high rates of male-mediated dispersal and gene flow among groups.

3. Probability of CWD infection in adult females was significantly increased by closely related (full-sibling, mother-offspring) infected females that were both spatially proximate (=3.2 km) and farther distant. To a minor extent, the probability of infection was also influenced by the number of nearby infected females (=3.2 km), but not by the number of infected males.

4. Direct deer-to-deer transmission of CWD between closely related female deer may be an important route of local CWD transmission.

5. Synthesis and applications. Random mixing and infectious contact may be inadequate models for CWD transmission and disease spread in female deer. Frequency-dependent CWD transmission may be important for females because infectious contacts are limited between members of different female social groups, even if ranges overlap. Given that our data demonstrate a strong relationship between infection probability and female relatedness, CWD management should consider female harvest to maintain smaller female social groups and reduce contact among female deer. However, evaluation of the effects of this strategy on deer social behaviour and contact is needed.


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01813.x/abstract


Human Dimensions of Wildlife

http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10871209.asp

Volume 15, Issue 3, 2010 of this journal was dedicated to Chronic Wasting Disease.

Below are selected abstracts from this volume.

CWD After "the Fire": Six Reasons Why Hunters Resisted Wisconsin's Eradication Effort Robert H. Holsman; Jordan Petchenik; Erin E. Cooney Human Dimensions of Wildlife, Volume 15, Issue 3 May 2010, pages 180 - 193

Abstract

Eight years after undertaking an unprecedented attempt to eradicate chronic wasting disease (CWD) from its free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population, Wisconsin wildlife managers are rethinking their strategies in the face of public opposition to their efforts. This article draws on a dozen surveys of hunters and landowners to identify six psychological bases that created deer hunter opposition to the Wisconsin plan. These include opposition to the population goal, conflicts with traditions, conflicts with consumption norms, the uncertainty of the plan's efficacy, and perceived lack of credibility in the agency. We argue that these six clusters of attitudinal beliefs made it unlikely that hunter support could have been cultivated regardless of the scope or pace of the CWD eradication effort. Our findings call into question the use of recreational hunting as a viable tool for bringing about severe deer population reductions for disease management.

Influences on Hunter Support for Deer Herd Reduction as a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Strategy

Erin E. Cooney; Robert H. Holsman

Human Dimensions of Wildlife, Volume 15, Issue 3 May 2010, pages 194 - 207

Abstract

The extent to which wildlife diseases like chronic wasting disease (CWD) are density dependent creates opportunities to manage them by implementing population reduction to disrupt disease spread and lower its prevalence. We tested a model to investigate the influence of risk perceptions and other salient beliefs on deer hunter support for deer density reduction as chronic wasting disease strategy in Wisconsin. We found that the influence of risk perceptions on hunter support for population goals was mediated through beliefs about whether eradication is necessary. Our results suggest that hunter beliefs about the likelihood of deer reduction achieving CWD eradication had the greatest influence on support for herd reduction. If managers intend to use recreational hunters to combat CWD, they need to provide tangible evidence that deer reduction results in progress in containing or eliminating CWD to increase beliefs in the efficacy of the strategy.

Predicting Hunting Participation in Response to Chronic Wasting Disease in Four States


Katie M. Lyon; Jerry J. Vaske Human Dimensions of Wildlife, Volume 15, Issue 3 May 2010, pages 208 - 220

Abstract


This article examines how factors related and unrelated to chronic wasting disease (CWD) influenced hunters to stop hunting deer. Data were obtained from a survey of resident and nonresident deer hunters in Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin (n = 3,519). Hunters were presented with six hypothetical scenarios depicting increasing CWD prevalence levels and human impact (e.g., human death), and asked if they would continue or stop hunting deer in the state. A series of logistic regression models examined the influence of four dimensions of predictor variables: (a) prevalence, (b) human impact, (c) perceived risks from CWD, and (d) location of hunting participation (i.e., state, residency). Participation in deer hunting in these four states will decrease substantially if CWD prevalence increases dramatically. If high prevalence is combined with human death from CWD, the decline is even greater. Human impact and perceived risks had the largest effect on hunter behavior.


http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/documents/CWD%20Updates/update%2098.pdf



Aerosol and nasal transmission of chronic wasting disease in cervidized mice


Nathaniel D. Denkers1, Davis M. Seelig1, Glenn C. Telling2 and Edward A. Hoover1 1 Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1619, USA 2 Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Sanders Brown Center of Aging and Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Correspondence Edward A. Hoover edward.hoover@colostate.edu


Little is known regarding the potential risk posed by aerosolized prions. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is transmitted horizontally, almost surely by mucosal exposure, and CWD prions are present in saliva and urine of infected animals. However, whether CWD may be transmissible by the aerosol or nasal route is not known. To address this question, FVB mice transgenetically expressing the normal cervid PrPC protein [Tg(cerPrP) mice] were exposed to CWD prions by either nose-only aerosol exposure or by drop-wise instillation into the nostrils. Mice were monitored for signs of disease for up to 755 days post-inoculation (p.i.) and by examination of tissues for lesions and PrPCWD after necropsy. In particular, nasal mucosa, vomeronasal organ, lungs, lymphoid tissue and the brain were assessed for PrPCWD by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Six of seven aerosol-exposed Tg(cerPrP) mice developed clinical signs of neurological dysfunction mandating euthanasia between 411 and 749 days p.i. In all these mice, CWD infection was confirmed by detection of spongiform lesions and PrPCWD in the brain. Two of nine intranasally inoculated Tg(cerPrP) mice also developed transmissible spongiform encephalopathy associated with PrPCWD between 417 and 755 days p.i. No evidence of PrPCWD was detected in CWD-inoculated Tg(cerPrP) mice examined at pre-terminal time points. These results demonstrate that CWD can be transmitted by aerosol (as well as nasal) exposure and suggest that exposure via the respiratory system merits consideration for prion disease transmission and biosafety.


http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/91/6/1651


Saturday, November 13, 2010

CWD Infected buck found 40 miles from Michigan's U.P.


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/11/infected-buck-found-40-miles-from.html


Friday, November 12, 2010

WHITE-TAILED BUCK HARVESTED NEAR MOORCROFT TESTS POSITIVE FOR CWD WYOMING

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/11/white-tailed-buck-harvested-near.html



Sunday, October 31, 2010


Scientific Opinion on the results of the EU survey for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervids EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) (October) 2010


Greetings BSE-L members et al,

I would like to post the following about the EFSA Scientific opinion on CWD in cervids in the EU, and then, a review of sorts. let's take a look at past findings of TSE in the brains of different species over the past decades in the UK and the EU, and take a look at the testing blunders on brains, and here in the USA as well, and then ask yourself, were they really trying to find TSE, or not ??? IT's a lengthy post, i hope you find interesting. ...

kindest regards, terry


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/10/scientific-opinion-on-results-of-eu.html



Sunday, April 12, 2009


CWD UPDATE Infection Studies in Two Species of Non-Human Primates and one Environmental reservoir infectivity study and evidence of two strains


snip...


From: TSS (216-119-163-189.ipset45.wt.net)

Subject: CWD aka MAD DEER/ELK TO HUMANS ???

Date: September 30, 2002 at 7:06 am PST

From: "Belay, Ermias"

To: Cc: "Race, Richard (NIH)" ;

; "Belay, Ermias"

Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 9:22 AM

Subject: RE: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS

Dear Sir/Madam,


In the Archives of Neurology you quoted (the abstract of which was attached to your email), we did not say CWD in humans will present like variant CJD. That assumption would be wrong. I encourage you to read the whole article and call me if you have questions or need more clarification (phone: 404-639-3091).

Also, we do not claim that "no-one has ever been infected with prion disease from eating venison." Our conclusion stating that we found no strong evidence of CWD transmission to humans in the article you quoted or in any other forum is limited to the patients we investigated.


Ermias Belay, M.D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



-----Original Message-----

From: Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 10:15 AM

To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]

Subject: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS

Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:26 PM ......snip........end..............TSS

snip...

full text ;

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/02/exotic-meats-usa-announces-urgent.html


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Noah's Ark Holding, LLC, Dawson, MN RECALL Elk products contain meat derived from an elk confirmed to have CWD NV, CA, TX, CO, NY, UT, FL, OK RECALLS AND FIELD CORRECTIONS: FOODS CLASS II

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/03/noahs-ark-holding-llc-dawson-mn-recall.html


see full text ;

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/04/cwd-update-infection-studies-in-two.html


Thursday, September 30, 2010

Characterization of the Prion Protein in Human Urine*

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2010/09/characterization-of-prion-protein-in.html


UPDATED DATA ON 2ND CWD STRAIN

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

CWD PRION CONGRESS SEPTEMBER 8-11 2010

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/09/cwd-prion-2010.html


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/


Thursday, October 07, 2010

Experimental Transmission of H-type Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy to Bovinized Transgenic Mice

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2010/10/experimental-transmission-of-h-type.html


Sunday, October 3, 2010

Scrapie, Nor-98 atypical Scrapie, and BSE in sheep and goats North America, who's looking ?

http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2010/10/scrapie-nor-98-atypical-scrapie-and-bse.html


Monday, December 21, 2009

Distinct Molecular Signature of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prion in Pigs

http://madporcinedisease.blogspot.com/2009/12/distinct-molecular-signature-of-bovine.html


Thursday, October 15, 2009

The presence of neurological signs in pigs inoculated with BSE without detectable PrPd raises the possibility that the BSE agent may produce a prion disease in pigs that remains undetected by the current postmortem tests.

Transmissibility studies of vacuolar changes in the rostral colliculus of pigs

http://madporcinedisease.blogspot.com/2009/10/transmissibility-studies-of-vacuolar.html


Saturday, December 01, 2007

Phenotypic Similarity of Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy in Cattle and L-type Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in a Mouse Model Volume 13, Number 12–December 2007 Research

http://transmissible-mink-encephalopathy.blogspot.com/2007/12/phenotypic-similarity-of-transmissible.html


IN CONFIDENCE

BSE - ATYPICAL LESION DISTRIBUTION (RBSE 92-21367)


http://tna.europarchive.org/20080609145105/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1993/03/14001001.pdf


please see full text ;


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2010/11/bse-atypical-lesion-distribution-rbse.html


Saturday, November 6, 2010

TAFS1 Position Paper on Position Paper on Relaxation of the Feed Ban in the EU Berne, 2010

TAFS

INTERNATIONAL FORUM FOR TRANSMISSIBLE ANIMAL DISEASES AND FOOD SAFETY a non-profit Swiss Foundation


http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2010/11/tafs1-position-paper-on-position-paper.html


Monday, August 9, 2010

National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center Cases Examined (July 31, 2010)

(please watch and listen to the video and the scientist speaking about atypical BSE and sporadic CJD and listen to Professor Aguzzi)


http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2010/08/national-prion-disease-pathology.html




TSS

Labels: , , , , ,

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Validation of Use of Rectoanal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue for Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2009, p. 1412-1417, Vol. 47, No. 5 0095-1137/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.02209-08 Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Validation of Use of Rectoanal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue for Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)


Delwyn Keane,1* Daniel Barr,1 Rebecca Osborn,2 Julie Langenberg,2 Katherine O'Rourke,3 David Schneider,3 and Philip Bochsler1 University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin,1 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin,2 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Disease Research Unit, 3003 ADBF, Pullman, Washington3

Received 18 November 2008/ Returned for modification 3 January 2009/ Accepted 20 February 2009

The examination of rectoanal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) biopsy specimens for the diagnosis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies has been described in sheep, elk, and small numbers of mule and white-tailed deer. Previous sample numbers have been too small to validate examination of this type of tissue as a viable antemortem diagnostic test. In this study, we examined RAMALT collected postmortem from 76 white-tailed deer removed from a farm in Wisconsin known to be affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD) and from 210 free-ranging white-tailed deer harvested from an area in Wisconsin where the overall prevalence of CWD among the deer was approximately 4 to 6%. The results of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of the RAMALT sections were compared to the results of IHC staining of sections from the brain stem at the convergence of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, sections of the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs), and sections of tonsil (sections of tonsil only from captive animals were tested). The sensitivities of the IHC staining test with RAMALT sections were 81% for the captive animals and 91% for the free-ranging animals. False-negative results were usually associated with early infection, indicated by a low intensity of immunostaining in the obex and/or a polymorphism at PRNP codon 96. While the RLN remains the tissue of choice for use for the diagnosis of CWD in white-tailed deer, the results of the present study further support the use of RAMALTs collected antemortem as an adjunct to testing of tonsil biopsy specimens and surveillance by necropsy for the screening of farmed deer which have been put at risk through environmental exposure or exposure to deer with CWD.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, 445 Easterday Lane, Madison, WI 53706. Phone: (608) 262-5432. Fax: (847) 574-8085. E-mail: Delwyn.Keane@wvdl.wisc.edu

Published ahead of print on 4 March 2009.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2009, p. 1412-1417, Vol. 47, No. 5 0095-1137/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.02209-08 Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.


http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/47/5/1412






SNIP...


Based on the results of our study, the IHC detection of 1 PrPCWD in RAMALT should be considered as a useful tool for the preclinical diagnosis of CWD infection in white tailed deer. It had been previously shown that in white tailed deer, accumulation of PrPCWD 3 occurs in RLN or tonsil prior to accumulation in the obex (11) and the presence of PrPCWD 4 in RLN and tonsil is a reliable marker for the antemortem and preclinical postmortem diagnosis of CWD (26, 29, 30) . Obtaining lymphatic tissues of the head and neck of live animals is not an easy task; tonsil biopsy procedures require general anesthesia, the tonsil is difficult to visualize, biopsy collection requires experienced personnel and the samples tend to be small (4 or 6 mm). As a tool for screening free ranging or captive populations, this technique is not as efficient or as economical as rectal biopsy. The latter procedure can be performed without general anesthesia, visualization of the rectal mucosa is much easier than that of tonsil, and larger samples can be obtained without the need for specialized equipment. However, the diagnosis of CWD using RAMALT, as with tonsillar tissues, is dependent on obtaining adequate samples.


SNIP...


FULL TEXT ;


http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/reprint/JCM.02209-08v1.pdf






Research Project: Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies: the Role of Genetics, Strain Variation, and Environmental Contamination in Disease Control Location: Animal Diseases Research

Title: Validation of Use of Rectoanal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue for Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Authors

Keane, D - UNIV OF WISCONSIN Barr, D - UNIV OF WISCONSIN Osborn, R - WISC DEPT OF NAT RESOURCE Langenberg, J - WISC DEPT OF NAT RESOURCE Orourke, Katherine Schneider, David Bochsler, P - UNIV OF WISCONSIN

Submitted to: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: February 20, 2009 Publication Date: May 1, 2009 Publisher's URL: http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/search?volume=47&firstpage=1412&sendit=Search&DOI=&author1=&author2=&titleabstract=&fulltext=&tocsectionid=all&fmonth=Jan&fyear=1975&tmonth=May&tyear=2009&hits=10&fdatedef=1+January+1975&tdatedef=1+May+2009 Reprint URL: http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/content/full/47/5/1412?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=47&firstpage=1412&resourcetype=HWCIT Citation: Keane, D., Barr, D., Osborn, R., Langenberg, J., Orourke, K.I., Schneider, D.A., Bochsler, P. 2009. Validation of Use of Rectoanal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue for Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 47(5):1412-1417.


Interpretive Summary: The prion diseases are a group of fatal brain disorders of sheep, goats, cattle, deer and elk. An abnormally folded protein accumulates in some lymphoid tissues of sheep early in disease. Biopsy sampling of lymphoid tissue, including tissue in the rectum, is a suitable live animal test in sheep. Adaptation of that test for use in deer exposed to the cervid prion disease Chronic Wasting Disease has been proposed. In this paper, the investigators compared the results of testing rectal tissue with test results on brain and the lymphoid tissues currently used for early diagnosis of the disease. Deer from a captive farm with a high prevalence of disease and wild deer with a low prevalence of disease were included in the study. Nearly eighty percent of the deer with abnormal prions in lymphoid tissue or brain had detectable abnormal prion proteins in the rectal lymphoid tissues. Although lymphoid tissues of the head remain the tissue of choice for early diagnosis of the disease in deer, the use of rectal lymphoid tissue is a suitable adjunct, particularly for live-screening farmed deer at risk for chronic wasting disease. Technical Abstract: The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a family of fatal neurodegenerative diseases characterized by accumulation of abnormal prion proteins in the brain. The abnormal prion protein is the major constituent of the infectious agent and is a reliable marker for disease. The occurrence of a zoonotic prion disease in cattle has resulted in efforts to eradicate or control all prion diseases in domestic livestock, including scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease CWD of deer and elk. Antemortem testing of sheep, deer and elk is based on the finding that abnormal prion proteins accumulate in some lymphoid tissues months or years before being detectable in brain. Biopsy of tonsil is a suitable test for live deer but requires general anesthesia. Biopsy sampling of the recto-anal mucosal associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) has been suggested as an alternative site for antemortem testing in sheep. In this study, postmortem sampling of RAMALT tissue from deer was performed to estimate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the test. Samples were assayed by monoclonal antibody based immunohistochemistry and the results of RAMALT testing were compared with testing of brain, tonsil and retropharyngeal lymph node, the currently preferred tissue for early diagnosis. Sensitivity of the test was 80% in a sample of 76 white tailed deer from a captive facility and 77% in a sample of 210 free ranging white tailed deer. While the retropharyngeal lymph node remains the tissue of choice for early diagnostic testing, RAMALT biopsy may provide a suitable adjunct, particularly for antemortem testing of herds of farmed deer with potential exposure to the disease.


http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/Publications.htm?seq_no_115=233205





Monday, August 24, 2009 Third International CWD Symposium July 22-24, 2009 – Park City, Utah ABSTRACTS


http://www.cwd-info.org/pdf/presentations.pdf





http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/08/third-international-cwd-symposium-july.html






Antemortem detection of PrPCWD in preclinical, ranch-raised Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) by biopsy of the rectal mucosa T

erry R. Spraker, Kurt C. VerCauteren, Thomas Gidlewski, David A. Schneider, Randy Munger, Aru Balachandran, Katherine I. O’Rourke1

Abstract.

Antemortem biopsy of the rectal mucosa was evaluated as a method for the preclinical diagnosis of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a herd of ranch-raised Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) quarantined because of exposure to CWD. Biopsy samples were obtained from 41 elk during the winter of 2005–2006 and from 26 elk from that herd still alive and available for testing during the winter of 2006–2007. Samples were examined for PrPCWD, the protein marker for CWD infection, by immunohistochemistry. PrPCWD was detected in follicles of the rectoanal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in biopsy samples from 1 elk with clinical signs of chronic wasting disease and 5 clinically normal elk. The diagnosis was confirmed in all 6 animals by postmortem analysis of brain and peripheral lymph nodes. PrPCWD was also observed in the submucosal plexus and myenteric plexus of the enteric nervous system, and in close association with nonmyelinated mucosal and submucosal nerve fibers. In antemortem rectal biopsy samples from positive animals, immunostaining was consistently observed in approximately 60% of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue follicles if 10 or more total follicles per biopsy were present for evaluation. Most antemortem biopsy samples obtained from elk younger than 6.5 years contained at least 10 follicles per rectal mucosal biopsy. These findings support the analysis of antemortem biopsy of the rectal mucosa samples as part of an integrated strategy to manage chronic wasting disease in Rocky Mountain elk. Key words: Antemortem diagnosis; chronic wasting disease; elk; transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Introduction Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, has been reported in captive and free-ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and moose (Alces alces shirasi).3,22,26,27 Chronic wasting disease has been a devastating disease in the captive elk industry. An estimated 12,000–14,000 captive elk have been killed in the last 8 years in attempts to control CWD. Several thousand free-ranging mule deer, white-tailed deer, and elk also have been killed through liberalized hunting and targeted sharpshooting in attempts to reduce the disease prevalence in the wild. Since captive cervids cannot be ruled out as a source of CWD infection for free-ranging cervids, eradication of CWD in captive herds is likely to be critical in controlling the spread of this disease. An accurate antemortem diagnostic test to identify preclinical CWD-infected elk is essential to the success of management strategies aiming to control and eradicate CWD. An abnormal isoform (PrPCWD) of the host prion protein is a reliable marker for CWD in white-tailed deer,22 mule deer,23 and Rocky Mountain elk.20 PrPCWD and the corresponding abnormal prion protein PrPSc in sheep accumulate in lymphoid tissues during the prolonged preclinical stage of disease, providing the basis for antemortem testing in these species.21,25,28 Preclinical tests for scrapie in domestic sheep include biopsy of lymphoid tissues from the palatine tonsil,24 third eyelid,14 and rectal mucosa.5,6 Similar preclinical tests have been described for mule deer using biopsy of the palatine tonsil and rectal mucosa.25,28 An immunohistochemical study21 of rectoanal mucosa–associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) collected postmortem from elk suggested that antemortem diagnosis may be possible in cases with preclinical disease. The present study assessed the feasibility of obtaining suitable antemortem rectal biopsies of RAMALT from a mixed-age herd of Rocky Mountain elk with known exposure to CWD. From the Colorado State University Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (Spraker); the National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services (VerCauteren) and Veterinary Services (Gidlewski, Munger), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO; Agricultural Research Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA (Schneider, O’Rourke); and the OIE and National Reference Laboratory for Scrapie and CWD, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Nepean, ON, Canada (Balachandran). 1 Corresponding Author: Katherine O’Rourke, USDA, ARS ADRU, 3003 ADBF, Pullman, WA 99164. katherine.o’rourke@ ars.usda.gov J Vet Diagn Invest 21:15–24 (2009) 15


SNIP...SEE FULL TEXT ;


http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/publications/09pubs/vercauteren091.pdf






SESSION II: session leader: Edward Hoover

11:50-12:10 P7. Detection of CWD by RAMALT biopsy in two white-tailed deer farms. Aru Balachandran

12:10-12:30 P8. Infectious prions in pre-clinical deer and transmission of CWD solely by environmental exposure. Candace Mathiason

12:30-12:50 P9. Detection of low level CWD infection in deer after oral exposure to urine and feces. Nicholas Haley

12:50-13:10 P10. CWD transmission via aerosol and oral lesions. Nathanial Denkers

13:10-13:30 P11. Environmental prion contamination: Prion protein adsorption in a soil matrix. Jason Bartz

13:30-13:50 P12. Trafficking of CWD prions via the enteric autonomic nervous system. Davis Seelig

13:50-14:10 P13. NeuroPrion cervid group update and the state of play in relation to the European CWD survey. Mick Stack



http://www.prion2009.com/workshops






Workshop 1 : New developments in TSEs of domestic and wild animals (22 September 2009). Organized by EU funded projects NeuroPrion and goatBSE.

Download Workshop 1 Agenda here

It is a pleasure to again announce a workshop on natural TSEs in animals. The occurrence of TSEs in the field and farms carries potential risks of the agents in the environment and food. The ease of CWD spread and the shedding of CWD prions among cervids as well as the examples of prion infections in goat herds, and the transmission of scrapie through milk all argue for better containment and eventual eradication of these diseases.

As a follow-up to previous workshops, participants of NeuroPrion, BSEgoat and CWD research TSE projects again are organizing a workshop to bring researchers together to discuss these veterinary and public health issues. Presentations will be actively sought by the organizers and further selections will be made from interesting abstracts sent to the Prion2009 conference.

Therefore, we invite you to join this meeting and participate in the discussions. Lectures will be 20 minutes duration including the possibility for questions. Further details of the programme will be announced before August 24.

¦Mick Stack, Veterinary Laboratories Agencies, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom ¦Jan Langeveld, Central Veterinary Institute of WageningenUR, Lelystad, The Netherlands ¦Edward Hoover, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA



http://www.prion2009.com/sites/default/files/Prion_2009_New_Developments_Workshop_Agenda.doc






http://www.prion2009.com/workshops







J Vet Diagn Invest 20:698-703 (2008)

Chronic wasting disease in a Wisconsin white-tailed deer farm

Delwyn P. Keane,' Daniel J. Barr, Philip N. Bochsler, S. Mark Hall, Thomas Gidlewski.Katherine I. O'Rourke, Terry R. Spraker, Michael D. Samuel


http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/21380/1/IND44108272.pdf







APPENDIX D SAES-422 Format for Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report Note: This report is submitted each year of an activity’s duration and is due 60 calendar days following the annual meeting. The SAES-422 is submitted electronically by AAs into NIMSS. Annual Reports for MRF projects are available to CRIS and CSREES through NIMSS. Project/Activity Number: NC1024 Project/Activity Title: Domestic Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Therapy of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Period Covered: June 2007-June 2008 Annual Meeting Date(s): June 2008


SNIP...


In a USDA validation study, the IDEXX RAMALT rectal biopsy assay showed good results, with the provision that the difficulty lies in accurate and repeatable biopsy of sufficient lymphoid follicles for analysis. Lastly, a small study demonstrated no evidence for fence line transmission of scrapie between uninfected and infected animals, indicating a general lack of casual horizontal transmission. At the conclusion of the meeting, the group determined that maintenance of the Idaho flock is a high priority for providing access to affected tissues for continued study.

SNIP...


http://www.lgu.umd.edu/lgu_v2/pages/reportMeet/16002_min.pdf







Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Antemortem detection of PrPCWD in preclinical, ranch-raised Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) by biopsy of the rectal mucosa Full Scientific Reports


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/01/antemortem-detection-of-prpcwd-in.html






Sunday, September 07, 2008

CWD LIVE TEST, and the political aspects or fallout of live testing for BSE in cattle in the USA

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/09/cwd-live-test-and-political-aspects-or.html





PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING of the UNITED STATES
ANIMAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 8805 SAINT JOSEPH, MO 64508 TEL: (816) 671-1144 FAX: (816) 671-1201 www.usaha.org usaha@usaha.org John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel Reno, Nevada



Copyright 2008 United States Animal Health Association Library of Congress Catalogue Control Number 2008903861 Meghan Richey and Rapid Solutions Group Kansas City, Missouri



Report of the comite CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY SCRAPIE ERADICATION PROGRAM UPDATE Penny Greenwood Canadian Food Inspection Agency


Report of the Comite on Scrapie

Chair: Jim R. Logan, Cheyenne, WY Vice Chair: Charles Palmer, Redding, CA



SNIP...



Katherine O’Rourke, Agricultural Research Services (ARS), USDA, presented an ARS research update. The report from ARS, Animal Disease Research Unit (ADRU) Pullman is summarized as follows: ADRU reported on their research on the minor scrapie forms, in particular Nor98 in sheep and classical scrapie in goats. Nor98 affects sheep of all genotypes; the etiology and transmissibility of Nor98 is unknown. Experimental infection of sheep highly resistant to classical scrapie (RR171) with a brain homogenate from an RR171 sheep with Nor98 is underway; blood, peripheral lymphoid tissues, and placenta will 641 be monitored to determine whether an infectious agent is present outside the central nervous system. Sheep with the 141FL genotype appear to be especially predisposed to Nor98. ADRU would like to acquire aged 141FL sheep from flocks without classical scrapie but that work will depend on clarification of the regulatory status of Nor98 sheep. Experimental and natural scrapie in goats is being addressed through assay of blood, placenta, and peripheral nodes to gather data on incubation time, optimal age for diagnosis, and role of prion genotype. The 2 goat genotypes reported to be associated with low susceptibility in European studies are of particular interest. The scrapie-free goat herd maintained at Washington State University will be diversified to include dairy and meat goats of those genotypes to produce kids for experimental studies. ADRU will request live goats exposed to sheep or goat scrapie for DNA analysis, live animal testing, and incubation time determination. In addition, ADRU will request tissues from goats collected in regulatory and slaughter surveillance and DNA from goats sampled in the upcoming goat NAHMS study. Requests for DNA from healthy herds will be made to the various dairy and meat goat industry groups. Linda Detwiler, presented information on new scrapie research, titled Scrapie: An Update on the Science. Information regarding scrapie has increased significantly over the years. While additional knowledge is always helpful, many of the new findings have actually increased the number of questions about the disease. It is well...



SNIP...



Dr. Steven Sundlof, Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), addressed the group on a number of topics. First was bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The CVM is committed to publishing a final rule on BSE but is still wading through some 850 comments received on the rule. Many comments accused FDA of underestimating the economic and environmental impacts of the rule, including the major issue of carcass disposal and disposal of additional banned materials. There is concern especially if rendering disappears as an option for disposal and other disposal options have not been identified. The final rule will include provision for time to come into compliance prior to the implementation of the rule and for the development of alternative disposal methods. ...


SNIP...


Dr. Heidi Schleicher, NAHLN, provided more information regarding the NAHLN, and some of its initiatives with improving its information technology resources. Schleicher also provided an update on surveillance activities, such as with BSE...



SNIP...


Unfortunately, there have been recent setbacks in market integration due to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). It is anticipated that this hurdle will be overcome and markets will continue to be further integrated, amplifying the need for improved surveillance for animal diseases and real time diagnostics for that surveillance.



SNIP...FULL TEXT ;




http://www.usaha.org/meetings/2007/2007_USAHA_Proceedings.pdf







Wednesday, July 1, 2009


Nor98 scrapie identified in the United States J Vet Diagn Invest 21:454-463 (2009)


http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2009/07/nor98-scrapie-identified-in-united.html







SINCE THE TOPIC OF BSE/TSE (out of sight, out of mind) APPEARED TO BE OF NO CONCERN, EXCEPT FOR (i might have missed it),



PLEASE LET ME ADD ;



2009 UPDATE ON TEXAS AND ALABAMA MAD COWS FOUND IN 2004 (finally documented after an act of Congress in 2005) AND 2006



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2006/08/bse-atypical-texas-and-alabama-update.html







Wednesday, September 23, 2009


Scientific Opinion on BSE Risk in Bovine Intestines Question number: EFSA-Q-2009-00226


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/09/scientific-opinion-on-bse-risk-in.html







TSS

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Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Colorado State Awarded $2.5 Million NSF Grant to Study Prevalence and Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease

For Immediate Release Wednesday, September 09, 2009 Contact for Reporters: Kimberly Sorensen 970.491.0757 mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000327/!x-usc:mailto:Kimberly.Sorensen@ColoState.EDU


Colorado State Awarded $2.5 Million NSF Grant to Study Prevalence and Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease FORT COLLINS - A Colorado State University research team has been awarded a $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant to study transmission of chronic wasting disease.

Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, affects members of the deer family and is similar to diseases like scrapie in sheep and mad cow disease – or bovine spongiform encephalopathy – in cattle. CWD is caused by misfolded proteins that resist breakdown by enzymes within cells. These proteins cause fatal, neurological damage.

The disease was first discovered in deer in northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming by Colorado State scientists in the 1960s.

Understanding and managing CWD depends on developing predictive models that track how the disease spreads. CWD remains an important challenge for managing wildlife resources in Colorado.

“An important goal for disease ecologists is to predict how diseases change in populations. This study will enhance our ability to predict the dynamics of CWD but also will improve models of all types of diseases,” said Tom Hobbs, CSU professor and project leader. “Predicting the spread of disease is similar to forecasting the weather. It is crucial to understand all of the sources of uncertainty in model predictions. If you don’t do that, you will probably make forecasts that are falsely optimistic. Our contribution will be to increase the reliability of disease models using sophisticated methods for bring together mathematics, statistics and data.”

In this NSF-funded project, CSU scientists will model the impact of CWD on deer populations in an effort to better understand dynamics of transmission.

Investigators will conduct field studies on wild mule deer populations in northern Colorado and will focus on studying the mechanism of transmission. Additionally, they will take a look at how many susceptible individuals are infected by a single infected deer. Lastly, research will study how an individual’s genetic make-up makes it more or less susceptible to being infected with CWD.

The research team will investigate free-ranging populations where CWD is prevalent. The study will not cause any animal to become infected and will not change their risk of infection. Instead, the project scientists will learn about the disease by observing ongoing processes of disease transmission.

“We will be taking a close look at why some deer get sick with CWD and why some don’t. Is their susceptibility to the disease controlled by the environment where they live? By their genetics? By the other deer they contact? We want to understand the things that determine individual variation in disease transmission,” Hobbs said.

Beyond the primary field research aims of this project, some broad impacts include innovative training of graduate students; curriculum development and research experience for local K-12 teachers; outreach to Rocky Mountain National Park visitors; collaboration on disease management with wildlife agencies in western North America; and training for researchers in the modeling methods used in this project.

The interdisciplinary CSU team of researchers awarded the grant will be led by Hobbs and Mike Miller from the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Team members include, Randy Boone, research scientist from the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory; Mike Antolin, biology professor; Jennifer Hoeting, associate professor of statistics ; and Simon Tavener, professor of math.

-30-


http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/4781







CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/





TSS

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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

CWD Update 93 December 29, 2008

CWD Update 93 December 29, 2008


State and Provincial Updates


South Dakota


The following was provided by Steve Griffin, South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks:


In the South Dakota CWD Surveillance period of July 1, 2008 to December 3, 2008, a total of 1,470 samples have been collected for CWD surveillance. Breakdown of sampling is as follows: 292 elk sampled--277 results returned as NOT Positive--8 results pending (7 POSITIVE ELK FOUND) 319 mule deer sampled--184 results returned as NOT Positive--130 results pending (5 POSITIVE MD FOUND) 859 white-tailed deer--487 results returned as NOT Positive--368 results pending (4 POSITIVE WT FOUND)


Below is a listing of the Positive cervids that have been found in South Dakota during the surveillance period of July 1, 2008 to December 3, 2008.


1. Elk female from Wind Cave National Park in Custer County. (Sick/Surveillance)


2. Elk female from Unit H3B in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest)


3. Elk male from Unit H3A in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest)


4. Elk female from Wind Cave National Park in Custer County. (Sick/Surveillance)


5. Elk male from Unit H3A in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest)


6. White-tailed female from Unit BD4 in CusterCounty. (Sick/Surveillance)


7. Elk female from Unit H3C in Fall River County. (Hunter Harvest)


8. Elk female from Wind Cave National Park in Custer County. (Sick Surveillance)


9. White-tailed female from Unit 27A in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest


10. Mule deer male from Unit 27B in Fall River County. (Hunter Harvest)


11. Mule deer female from Unit 21B in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest)


12. White-tailed female from Unit 27B in Fall River County. (Hunter Harvest)


13. White-tailed male from Unit BD3 in Pennington County. (Sick/Surveillance)


14. Mule deer male from Unit 27B in Fall River County. (Hunter Harvest)


15. Mule deer female from Unit 27B in Fall River County. (Hunter Harvest)


16. Mule deer female from Unit 21B in Custer County. (Hunter Harvest)


In Summary:


South Dakota is reporting a total of 16 positive cervids (7 elk, 9 deer) in the testing period of July 1, 2008 to December 3, 2008. To date, South Dakota has found 93 cases of CWD (63 deer and 30 elk) in free ranging deer and elk since testing began in 1997. Wind Cave National Park accounts for 23 of these animals (15 elk, 8 deer). Three elk and 1 deer have been found in Custer State Park. A total of 18,873 wild deer and elk have been tested for CWD since 1997.


West Virginia:


The following was excerpted from a press release issued by the West Virginia DNR on December 22, 2008:


Five Additional Deer Test Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Hampshire County, West Virginia


Preliminary test results indicate the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) agent was present in five hunter-harvested deer collected in Hampshire County during the 2008 deer firearms hunting season.


“As part of our agency’s ongoing and intensive CWD monitoring effort, samples were collected from 1,355 hunter-harvested deer brought to game checking stations in Hampshire County and one station near the southern Hampshire County line in Hardy County,” noted Frank Jezioro, director for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR).


The five CWD positive deer included one 4.5 year-old doe, two 2.5 year-old bucks, one 4.5 yearold buck and one 1.5 year-old buck. All five of the latest positive deer were harvested within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area (i.e., that portion of Hampshire County located North of U.S. Route 50). However, the CWD agent previously has been detected outside the containment area but still within Hampshire County. The area in Hampshire County appears to continue to expand as one of the most recent infected deer was approximately five miles northeast of any previous known infected deer location.


CWD has now been detected in a total of 37 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., two road-killed deer - one in 2005 and one in 2008, four deer collected by the DNR in 2005, five deer collected by the DNR in 2006, one hunter-harvest deer taken during the 2006 deer season, three deer collected by the DNR in 2007, six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2007 deer season, 11 deer collected by the DNR in 2008, and five hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2008 deer season). The DNR will continue to update management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state as information from deer testing within West Virginia is gathered and scientists across the country provide more information on how to combat CWD in white-tailed deer.


The entire press release can be viewed at:


http://www.wvdnr.gov/2008news/08news202.shtm.



Wisconsin:


CWD was detected in October 2008 on a captive cervid operation in Portage County (CWD Update 92). The facility was subsequently depopulated and an additional deer from the facility tested positive. A press release regarding this facility was issued on 12/17/208 by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and can be viewed at this link:


http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2259.



CWD was detected in another captive cervid operation in Wisconsin in December 2008. This facility is in Jefferson County and is the second facility with CWD detected in the state this year. A press release regarding this facility was issued on 12/19/208 by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and can be viewed at this link:


http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2262.



Wyoming


In October, 2008, Wyoming Game & Fish Department announced that a three-year-old female moose from far western Wyoming (Star Valley) tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. The press release regarding this detection can be viewed at:


http://gf.state.wy.us/services/news/pressreleases/08/10/17/081017_1.asp.




CWD has been detected in several new hunt areas in Wyoming this year: - Deer Hunt Area 27 (Southwest of Lake DeSmet) - Deer Hunt Area 2 (north of Sundance) - Elk Hunt Area 117 (near Sundance), - Elk Hunt Area 19 (South of Casper). Links to press releases concerning these new areas can be viewed at:


http://gf.state.wy.us/services/education/cwd/index.asp.



Meeting Announcement (reminder) The Third International CWD Symposium will be held July 22-24, 2009 in Park City, Utah. Information regarding the symposium, including registration, lodging, and the first Call for Papers, can be viewed at


http://www.regonline.com/cwd_symposium.



The deadline for abstract submission is February 20, 2009. For additional information contact Leslie McFarlane, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, at


lesliemcfarlane@utah.gov.



Recent Publications The following article was published last week by PLOS One. The article documents a mule deer population with high CWD prevalence, high risk of CWD infection, and dramatically lowered (disease-associated) survival. The entire article is available at


http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004019.



I urge all to read this article as it is the first publication I am aware of that links CWD with population decline: “Our findings provide compelling evidence that prion epidemics can affect mule deer population dynamics locally….”


Lions and Prions and Deer Demise


Michael W. Miller, Heather M. Swanson, Lisa L. Wolfe, Fred G. Quartarone, Sherri L. Huwer, Charles H. Southwick and Paul M. Lukacs PLoS ONE 3(12): e4019. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004019.


Abstract


Background: Contagious prion diseases – scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease of several species in the deer family – give rise to epidemics that seem capable of compromising host population viability. Despite this prospect, the ecological consequences of prion disease epidemics in natural populations have received little consideration. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using a cohort study design, we found that prion infection dramatically lowered survival of free-ranging adult (>2-year-old) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): estimated average life expectancy was 5.2 additional years for uninfected deer but only 1.6 additional years for infected deer. Prion infection also increased nearly fourfold the rate of mountain lions (Puma concolor) preying on deer, suggesting that epidemics may alter predator–prey dynamics by facilitating hunting success. Despite selective predation, about one fourth of the adult deer we sampled were infected. High prevalence and low survival of infected deer provided a plausible explanation for the marked decline in this deer population since the 1980s. Conclusion: Remarkably high infection rates sustained in the face of intense predation show that even seemingly complete ecosystems may offer little resistance to the spread and persistence of contagious prion diseases. Moreover, the depression of infected populations may lead to local imbalances in food webs and nutrient cycling in ecosystems in which deer are important herbivores.


http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004019.




http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/documents/CWD%20Updates/update%2093.pdf





-------- Original Message --------

Subject: STUDY PLAN - Susceptibility of mountain lions to chronic wasting disease

Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2005 09:25:25 -0500

From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." flounder

Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

To: BSE-L@KALIV.UNI-KARLSRUHE.DE


##################### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy #####################


Describe mechanisms of CWD transmission between infected and ...

snip...

Selective Predation by Mountain Lions on CWD-Infected Mule Deer In addition to direct effects on the habitats used by the natural cervid hosts of CWD, urbanization could affect the ecology of systems where CWD may be introduced or has become established. Because land use patterns may alter the abundance and activity of large predators (e.g., mountain lions), we have been studying the potential role of selective predation in CWD ecology. Our specific objectives are to:

1. test for evidence of selective predation by mountain lions on CWD-infected mule deer;

2. collect data to help assess the broader ecological question of whether mountain lions selectively prey on debilitated or compromised animals rather than healthy ones;

3. continue refining and assessing the adequacy of field sampling techniques for studying selective predation on CWD-infected mule deer; and

4. evaluate and compare the performance of Lotek Wireless GPS4000 and GPS4400 collars and Tevevilt GPS-Simplex collars in a study of selective predation by mountain lions under field conditions.

To test for evidence of selective predation, we will compare prevalence of CWD among puma-killed mule deer to prevalence among mule deer harvested or randomly culled by humans within home ranges of collared mountain lions. A total of eight adult mountain lions have been collared, resulting in 39 collared cat months between 2001 and present. Sampling of predator-killed deer is ongoing. ...

snip...

http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/cwd/papers/CWD_2004_final.pdf



STUDY PLAN

Susceptibility of mountain lions to chronic wasting disease

M. W. Miller, L. L. Wolfe, and T. R. Davis

Background

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) naturally infects free-ranging deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) in northeastern Colorado and adjacent jurisdictions (Miller et al. 2000). Because CWD has the potential to destabilize affected cervid populations (Miller et al. 2000, Gross and Miller 2001), management efforts have been initiated to achieve goals of containing CWD and reducing its prevalence (Colorado Wildlife Commission 2001). Modeling studies have indicated that selective population control on affected populations may be most effective in controlling CWD (Gross and Miller 2001). It follows that processes fostering selective removal of affected individuals, like test-and-slaughter or predation, should be carefully evaluated in the context of CWD management.

Although the host range of CWD appears to be limited to deer and elk, several predatory species (including humans) may be exposed to prpCWD via consumption of infected carcasses. Because mountain lions (Felis concolor) are the most consistent predator of mule deer (0. hemionus) in the foothills of northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming where CWD is most prevalent, they are undoubtedly exposed to CWD in areas where it occurs. To date, spongiform encephalopathy has not been detected in local mountain lion populations (M. W. Miller, unpubl. data). However, more formal studies of exposure rates (Krurnm and Miller 2002) and susceptibility of mountain lions to CWD are needed to clarify the role that mountain lions may play in helping manage CWD. Moreover, because mountain lions (Willoughby et al. 1992) and other wild felids (Kirkwood and Cunningham 1999) showed susceptibility to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) similar to that of humans (Will et al. 1996), understanding mountain lion susceptibility to CWD may provide insights into potential human susceptibility to CWD as well. Here, we describe plans for a study to evaluate natural susceptibility of captive mountain lions to CWD under conditions of prolonged exposure via consumption of infected mule deer carcasses.

Objectives

Our specific objective is to evaluate the potential susceptibility of mountain lions to CWD using a natural exposure route under controlled laboratory conditions.

Study Design

Three young (-4-6-week-old) mountain lions originating from near Chugwater, Wyoming were obtained opportunistically from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in October 2001; these cubs were slated for euthanasia because no suitable rehabilitation destination was available to provide for their care. All 3 cubs have been maintained together at the CDOW Foothills Wildlife Research Facility in indoor or outdoor pens since that time. To date, their diet has consisted mainly of a commercial horse meat product (Dallas Crown, Inc., Kaufman, Texas) and healthy mule deer, supplemented occasionally with cottontail rabbits and house mice. In December 2001, we began operant conditioning training with all 3 cubs both to facilitate long-term tractability and veterinary care, and to provide behavioral enrichment; individual responses to this training also will serve as a baseline for evaluating behavioral changes that could be early clinical signs of CWD. In addition, the 2 male cubs were castrated and the female was spayed to further facilitate long-term tractability and to minimize potential for aggression, both intraspecific and toward caretakers. Other details of husbandry and care are described in FWRF Standard Operating Procedures.

Upon approval of this study plan, we will begin feeding all 3 cubs portioned carcasses from CWD-infected mule deer, such that at least 20% of their collective annual diet will be comprised of tissues from test-positive deer. This exposure level is about 33% higher than the highest mean CWD prevalence observed in northeastern Colorado (15% in GMU 9; Miller et al. 2000), thereby representing a substantial but not overwhelming treatment. Infected deer carcasses will be obtained opportunistically from captive and free-ranging sources in conjunction with ongoing research, surveillance, and management programs. All suspect carcasses will be confirmed via immunohistochemistry (IHC) or immunodotblot of brain and/or lymphoid tissues (Miller et al. 2000, Miller & Williams 2002, M. W. Miller unpubl. data). Carcasses will be prepared to specifically preserve central nervous system, gut, lymphoid, and muscle tissues, as well as other organ tissues, using an established protocol (Appendix A). Respective portions of each carcass will be identified and stored frozen until used. We will maintain a daily log of specific carcass portions fed and consumed, and will remove and dispose of uneaten portions at regular intervals.

Our study is planned to be descriptive, and consequently no experimental control will be maintained because spongiform encephalopathy does not appear to occur naturally in mountain lions (Williams et al. 2000). Instead, each lion will serve as its own control. We will monitor changes in body condition and behavior as indicators of clinical CWD in subject animals (Willoughby et al. 1992). Each lion will be weighed monthly and its responses to a series of routine training exercises scored subjectively. Persistent weight loss and/or other signs of disease will be evaluated, and treated as needed, by an attending veterinarian (Wolfe, Miller). If health problems become progressive and a lion fails to respond to treatment, that individual will be euthanized and subjected to a complete necropsy and diagnostic evaluation to rule out spongiform encephalopathy as the cause of illness. Similarly, any lion that dies will be subjected to complete necropsy and diagnostic evaluation. All 3 lions will be maintained for the duration of their lives under the foregoing experimental conditions.

We will document the extent of CWD exposure to CWD-infected mule deer, and will summarize onset, signs, and pathology of CWD in mountain lions in the unlikely event that illness occurs. Results will be described, but no analyses are planned.

Annual budget

Personal services $ 10,500 Operating $ 10,800

Literature Cited

Gross, J. E., and M. W. Miller. 2001. Chronic wasting disease in mule deer: A model of disease dynamics, control options, and population consequences. J. Wildl. Manage., in press.

Kirkwood, J. K., and A. A. Cunningham. 1999. Scrapie-like spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases) in nondomesticated species. In Zoo and wild animal medicine, 3rd edition. M. E. Fowler and R. E. Miller, eds., W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pp. 662-668.

Krumm, C. T., and M. W. Miller. 2002. Study plan: Selective predation by mountain lions on chronic-wasting disease-infected mule deer. In prep.

Miller, M. W., E. S. Williams, C. W. McCarty, T. R. Spraker, T. J. Kreeger, C. T. Larsen, and E. T. Thorne. 2000. Epizootiology of chronic wasting disease in free-ranging cervids in Colorado and Wyoming. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 38:676-690.

Will, R. G., J. W. Ironside, M. Zeidler, S. N. Cousens, K. Estibeiro, A. Alperovitch, S. Poser, M. Pocchiari, A. Hoffman, and P. G. Smith. 1996. A new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the UK. Lancet 347: 921-925.

Willoughby, K., D. F. Kelly, D. G. Lyon, and G. A. H. Wells. 1992. Spongiform encephalopathy in a captive puma (Felis concolor). Veterinary Record 13 l:431-434.

Williams, E. S., J. A. Kirkwood, and M. W. Miller. 2000. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. In Infectious diseases of wild mammals, 3rd edition. E. S. Williams and I. K. Barker, eds. Iowa State University press, Ames, Iowa, pp. 292-301.

Appendix A

Carcass Processing for Mountain Lions

I. Carcass labeling and CWD Tissue Sampling:

1) Carcasses intended for the lions should be labeled to avoid mixing them up with those intended for necropsy. Lion carcasses must be labeled "Lions", dated, and assigned a CWD case number when they come in (please use wire twist labels and a permanent marker). If the animal is a known positive or negative CWD animal, please indicate this also on the tag. Whoever removes the head from the carcass for CWD sampling is also responsible for bagging and labeling it with all of the above information.

2) If the labeled carcass will be processed within a few days it can be left in the cooler, otherwise it should go into the freezer to prevent tissue decomposition. Carcasses will need to be pulled out of the freezer to thaw two days in advance of processing and should be placed in the cooler and/or in the necropsy lab.

3) Remove the head and take CWD tissue samples according to WHL protocol. WHL personnel may have already done this.

4) Most of the carcasses you process will be CWD "unknowns" as test results are usually necessary to indicate if the carcass is CWD positive or negative. All heads must be saved until CWD test results are in.

5) Process the carcass and store the tissues according to instructions below.

6) Enter the case number and all necessary information into the blue Lion Carcass Notebook.

II. Processing the Carcass;

Processing known negatives (fawns), or "green" carcasses (treat these as negatives);

1) Skin the carcass and toss out the hide according to WHL disposal protocol.

2) The large bones should be removed and saved in a labeled bag (with or without the hide, and it is good to leave large chunks of meat attached).

3) Cut up meat from each front and hindquarter into approximately fist size chunks, and mix in chopped pieces of heart, liver, and kidney. Store in blue tubs or labeled ziplock bags, and fresh freeze. These tissues will be fed to the lions to supplement our commercial feline diet.

Additional tissues to collect for suspect CWD positive animals:

4) Slice off 2-3 sections of the neck with skin intact and place into a labeled (twist tie) garbage bag with the processed head and sections of spine. If WHL personnel processed the head you will need to find this bag in the freezer (CWD case number on the carcass should match the one on the bagged head), and add the spine and neck sections to the same bag. These tissues will be fed to the lions as part of the study protocol.

5) Open the abdomen and place the following tissues into separately labeled whirlpacks, and store these in the blue tub labeled "Unknown CWD Organ Tissues", and fresh freeze.

a.) Liver

b.) Lower 10 inches of the colon

c.) Kidney

d.) Urine (if the carcass is fresh) - store in a labeled plastic centrifuge tube.

These tissues are set aside for laboratory analysis, and will not be fed to the lions.

6) Remove the digestive tract and store in a labeled twist tie garbage bag and fresh freeze. The digestive tract will be fed to the lions.

Additional tissues to collect for known positive CWD animals:

7) Fetuses should be removed, saved in labeled bags, and fresh frozen.

8) Save several cotyledons from the uterus (or the entire repro. tract if cotyledons are not obvious). Fresh freeze several in labeled whirlpacks, and store one in a labeled jar with formalin.

9) Ticks and bots should also be fresh frozen, and stored in labeled whirlbacks.

These tissues are also set aside for laboratory analysis and will not be fed to the lions.

10) Please follow instructions below for labeling and storing these tissues.

11) Please clean up your work area, and dispose of waste according to WHL protocols (attached).

III. Tissue Labeling and Tracking Samples:

1) All storage containers and bags must be clearly labeled with:

a. LIONS, or "L"

b. The date the carcass came in

c. The CWD case number

d. The tissue type (meat, bones, head/neckl/spine, organs, gut, fetus, cotyledons, tickshots)

e. CWD +,-, or unknown.

Known Positives;

2) Known CWD positive tissues are color coded green and stored on the shelves in the NW comer of the freezer.

Known Negatives:

3) Known negative tissues are color coded blue and stored on the shelves in the SW comer of the freezer (shelves to the left of the door).

Unknowns:

4) Unknown head/neck/spine sections and gut piles are stored in the red Rubbermaid bin and are not color coded until CWD test results are obtained.

5) Unknown (but suspected to be positive) organs are stored in the blue tub on the SW shelf and the tub is labeled "Unknown CWD Organ Tissues".

6) When CWD test results come in, WHL personnel will indicate if each case number is positive or negative in the blue lion carcass notebook.

7) Please go through unknown CWD organ tissues (blue tub), head/neck/spine, and gut contents (red bin) once a week to color code and separate out.

a. Negative head/neck/spine sections, gut piles and organ tissues should be tossed out (see WHL lab protocol for disposal). However we should save a few negative organ tissues for comparative lab work.

b. Positive head/neck/spine sections, and gut piles should be moved to the CWD positive section of the freezer (NW comer). Positive organ tissues should be moved to the green tub labeled "Positive CWD Organ Tissues" on the NW shelves.

IV. Feeding the lion:

8) All meat and large bones should be saved and fed out regularly. Lions should also receive one gut pile/week. Meat from known CWD positive animals is stored in green tubs, meat from known CWD negative animals is stored in blue tubs. "Unknown" meat is stored in ziplock bags.

9) Meat, bones and gut can be fed out even if they are unknowns, however it is necessary to track these tissues as part of the study protocol. Please fill out the following information in the blue lion observation notebook (located in the lion shed) prior to feeding out any processed tissues or carcasses:

a) tissue type

b) CWD case number

c) CWD +, -, or unknown at the time of feeding


TSS

######### https://listserv.kaliv.uni-karlsruhe.de/warc/bse-l.html ##########



Thursday, December 25, 2008

Lions and Prions and Deer Demise

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/lions-and-prions-and-deer-demise.html



Wednesday, December 17, 2008

ONE-THIRD OF BOULDER'S DEER INFECTED WITH CWD

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-third-of-boulders-deer-infected.html




Thursday, December 25, 2008

Elk meat recalled due to CWD Boulder County Health Department and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/elk-meat-recalled-due-to-cwd-boulder.html




Thursday, April 03, 2008

A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease

2008 1: Vet Res. 2008 Apr 3;39(4):41

A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease

Sigurdson CJ.


snip...

*** twenty-seven CJD patients who regularly consumed venison were reported to the Surveillance Center***,

snip...


full text ;


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/04/prion-disease-of-cervids-chronic.html



From: TSS (216-119-163-189.ipset45.wt.net)

Subject: CWD aka MAD DEER/ELK TO HUMANS ???

Date: September 30, 2002 at 7:06 am PST

From: "Belay, Ermias"

To:

Cc: "Race, Richard (NIH)" ; ; "Belay,

Ermias"

Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 9:22 AM

Subject: RE: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS

Dear Sir/Madam,

In the Archives of Neurology you quoted (the abstract of which was

attached to your email), we did not say CWD in humans will present like

variant CJD.

That assumption would be wrong. I encourage you to read the whole

article and call me if you have questions or need more clarification

(phone: 404-639-3091). Also, we do not claim that "no-one has ever been

infected with prion disease from eating venison." Our conclusion stating

that we found no strong evidence of CWD transmission to humans in the

article you quoted or in any other forum is limited to the patients we

investigated.

Ermias Belay, M.D.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

-----Original Message-----

From:

Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 10:15 AM

To: rr26k@nih.gov; rrace@niaid.nih.gov; ebb8@CDC.GOV

Subject: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG

HUNTERS

Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:26 PM ......snip........end..............TSS

also,

A. Aguzzi - Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) also needs to be addressed. Most

serious because of rapid horizontal spread and higher prevalence than BSE in

UK, up to 15% in some populations. Also may be a risk to humans - evidence

that it is not dangerous to humans is thin.

http://www.tseandfoodsafety.org/activities/bse_conference_basel_april_02/2summar



Chronic Wasting Disease and Potential Transmission to Humans


Ermias D. Belay,* Ryan A. Maddox,* Elizabeth S. Williams,? Michael W. Miller,? Pierluigi Gambetti,§ and Lawrence B. Schonberger*

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ?University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA; ?Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; and §Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Suggested citation for this article: Belay ED, Maddox RA, Williams ES, Miller MW, Gambetti P, Schonberger LB. Chronic wasting disease and potential transmission to humans. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2004 Jun [date cited]. Available from:http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no6/03-1082.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk is endemic in a tri-corner area of Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska, and new foci of CWD have been detected in other parts of the United States. Although detection in some areas may be related to increased surveillance, introduction of CWD due to translocation or natural migration of animals may account for some new foci of infection. Increasing spread of CWD has raised concerns about the potential for increasing human exposure to the CWD agent. The foodborne transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to humans indicates that the species barrier may not completely protect humans from animal prion diseases. Conversion of human prion protein by CWD-associated prions has been demonstrated in an in vitro cell-free experiment, but limited investigations have not identified strong evidence for CWD transmission to humans. More epidemiologic and laboratory studies are needed to monitor the possibility of such transmissions.

snip...full text ;

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no6/03-1082.htm



Volume 12, Number 10-October 2006

Research

Human Prion Disease and Relative Risk Associated with Chronic Wasting Disease

Samantha MaWhinney,* W. John Pape,? Jeri E. Forster,* C. Alan Anderson,?§ Patrick Bosque,?¶ and Michael W. Miller#

*University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA; ?Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, Colorado, USA; ?University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA; §Denver Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA; ¶Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA; and #Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Suggested citation for this article

The transmission of the prion disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to humans raises concern about chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of deer and elk. In 7 Colorado counties with high CWD prevalence, 75% of state hunting licenses are issued locally, which suggests that residents consume most regionally harvested game. We used Colorado death certificate data from 1979 through 2001 to evaluate rates of death from the human prion disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). The relative risk (RR) of CJD for CWD-endemic county residents was not significantly increased (RR 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40-1.63), and the rate of CJD did not increase over time (5-year RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.73-1.16). In Colorado, human prion disease resulting from CWD exposure is rare or nonexistent. However, given uncertainties about the incubation period, exposure, and clinical presentation, the possibility that the CWD agent might cause human disease cannot be eliminated.

snip... full text ;

http://0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/ncidod/EID/vol12no10/06-0019.htm



full text ;

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html



CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE BLOG


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/


http://stanford.wellsphere.com/healing---recovery-article/a-prion-disease-of-cervids:-chronic-wasting-disease-2008/13819



0C7.04

North American Cervids Harbor Two Distinct CWD Strains

Authors

Angers, R. Seward, T, Napier, D., Browning, S., Miller, M., Balachandran A., McKenzie, D., Hoover, E., Telling, G. 'University of Kentucky; Colorado Division of Wildlife, Canadian Food Inspection Agency; University Of Wisconsin; Colorado State University.

Content

Despite the increasing geographic distribution and host range of CWD, little is known about the prion strain(s) responsible for distinct outbreaks of the disease. To address this we inoculated CWD-susceptible Tg(CerPrP)1536+/· mice with 29 individual prion samples from various geographic locations in North America. Upon serial passage, intrastudy incubation periods consistently diverged and clustered into two main groups with means around 210 and 290 days, with corresponding differences in neuropathology. Prion strain designations were utilized to distinguish between the two groups: Type I CWD mice succumbed to disease in the 200 day range and displayed a symmetrical pattern of vacuolation and PrPSc deposition, whereas Type II CWD mice succumbed to disease near 300 days and displayed a strikingly different pattern characterized by large local accumulations of florid plaques distributed asymmetrically. Type II CWD bears a striking resemblance to unstable parental scrapie strains such as 87A which give rise to stable, short incubation period strains such as ME7 under certain passage conditions. In agreement, the only groups of CWD-inoculated mice with unwavering incubation periods were those with Type I CWD. Additionally, following endpoint titration of a CWD sample, Type I CWD could be recovered only at the lowest dilution tested (10-1), whereas Type II CWD was detected in mice inoculated with all dilutions resulting in disease. Although strain properties are believed to be encoded in the tertiary structure of the infectious prion protein, we found no biochemical differences between Type I and Type II CWD. Our data confirm the co·existence of two distinct prion strains in CWD-infected cervids and suggest that Type II CWD is the parent strain of Type I CWD.

see page 29, and see other CWD studies ;

http://www.neuroprion.org/resources/pdf_docs/conferences/prion2008/abstract-book-prion2008.pdf



Sunday, November 23, 2008


PRION October 8th - 10th 2008 Book of Abstracts


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/11/prion-october-8th-10th-2008-book-of.html



Saturday, September 06, 2008 Chronic wasting disease in a Wisconsin white-tailed deer farm 79% INFECTION RATE Contents: September 1 2008, Volume 20, Issue 5

snip...see full text ;


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/11/commentary-crimes-hurt-essence-of.html



Wednesday, December 17, 2008 White-tailed Deer in Portage County Tests Positive for CWD


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/white-tailed-deer-in-portage-county.html



Monday, December 22, 2008


CWD DETECTED IN ELK HUNT AREA 117 SOUTH OF SUNDANCE WYOMING


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/cwd-detected-in-elk-hunt-area-117-south.html



Monday, January 05, 2009


CWD, GAME FARMS, BAITING, AND POLITICS


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/01/cwd-game-farms-baiting-and-politics.html




The prion strain phenomenon: Molecular basis and unprecedented features


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/12/prion-strain-phenomenon-molecular-basis.html




Sunday, December 28, 2008


MAD COW DISEASE USA DECEMBER 28, 2008 an 8 year review of a failed and flawed policy


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/12/mad-cow-disease-usa-december-28-2008-8.html



The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.


http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html



Thursday, November 13, 2008


SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 2007 CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN THE UK


http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/11/sixteenth-annual-report-2007.html



Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Mad Cow Disease typical and atypical strains, was there a cover-up ?


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/08/bovine-spongiform-encephalopathy-mad.html



A New Prionopathy OR more of the same old BSe and sporadic CJD


http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-prionopathy-or-more-of-same-old-bse.html



Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]


http://pro-med.blogspot.com/2007/11/proahedr-prion-disease-update-2007-07.html


http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963



There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.

He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.



http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm


http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf



USA PRION UNIT BLOG

http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/


Sunday, April 20, 2008 Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008

Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.

see full text ;

http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html



CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)

http://cjdtexas.blogspot.com/



USA WRITTEN CJD QUESTIONNAIRE ???

http://cjdquestionnaire.blogspot.com/




Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518

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