NR AOZL
AU Steinbach,F.; Schettler,E.; Kaps,I.; Meussdoerffer,F.; Frölich,K.
TI TSE in German cervids ? - First results of the years 2002-2003
QU International Conference - Prion diseases: from basic research to intervention concepts - TSE-Forum, 08.10.-10.10.2003, Gasteig, München - Poster session - DG-70
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) occur in form of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northern American cervids since more than 30 years. Until now, CWD has been observed in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Rocky Mountain wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). The incubation period ranges from several months to years and death is inevitable. Until now, there is no information that TSE (BSE, CWD or scrapie) exists in cervids from Germany or any other European country. Accordingly, the objectives of our study are to (1) determine the prevalence of TSE in deer in Germany and (2) to compare various commercial rapid BSE tests regarding their specificity and sensitivity for TSE in cervids.
Within a period of three years approx. 10,000 brain (obex region) and lymph node samples from German deer species will be examined for TSE by rapid BSE post mortem tests (Bio-Rad ELISA). The samples originate from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus), and fallow deer (Cervus dama dama) older than 18 months. Special emphasis will be provided on collecting samples from cervids living in regions where BSE or scrapie has been diagnosed and on individuals that show clinical signs like cachexia or CNS disorders. One third of the samples are collected from captive cervids. The specificity and sensitivity of various BSE tests will be analysed using CWD positive tissue from North America and brain samples (without proteinase digestion) of German cervid species.
Until May 2003, more than 600 samples of cervids from Germany were tested negative by Bio-Rad ELISA. These samples originated mainly from northern parts of Germany. First results on rapid tests show that the Prionics Western blot detects both proteinase K resistant prion protein (PrPres) of CWD positive animals and cellular prion protein (PrPc) of German cervid species. Further details regarding this test and other Western blots will be presented.
AD F. Steinbach, E. Schettler, K. Frölich, Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany; I. Kaps, F. Meussdoerffer, Cenas AG, Kulmbach, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland