NR AWKR
AU Moroncini,G.; Mangieri,M.; Quero,V.; Bramucci,V.; Stramazotti,D.; Gabrielli,A.; Giaccone,G.; Scarpelli,M.; Tagliavini,F.
TI A model of epidemiological study of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Italy
QU International Conference - Prion 2006: Strategies, advances and trends towards protection of society - 3.10.-6.10.2006, Torino, Italy, Lingotto Conference Centre - Poster sessions EPI-19
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB The prevalence of preclinical or subclinical variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in Italy is currently unknown. In order to assess the feasibility in our Country of previous epidemiological studies performed in the UK, we retrospectively screened 1000 anonymous surgical appendicectomy and tonsillectomy specimens for the presence of disease-associated prion protein (PrPsc) in lymphoreticular tissue. We retrieved appendix and tonsil samples removed between 2000 and 2005 from patients aged 10-60 from the Histopathology Institute of Università Politecnica delle Marche. Such time range was chosen since the maximum incidence peak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Italy was estimated to be between 1990 and 1995 and the median vCJD incubation time is postulated to be in the order of ten years from the exposure to BSE prions. We analysed only cases with at least five secondary lymphoid follicles because PrPsc in vCJD was reported to be present in approximately 20% of follicles. PrPsc was detected by immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibody 3F4 after sequential pretreatments with hydrolytic autoclaving and guanidine isothiocyanate. Lymphoid tissue from the single Italian vCJD case was used as positive control in each experimental session. No positive cases were identified by our analysis. Due to the small sample size and unknown test sensitivity during the prolonged incubation period, this negative result cannot reassure that relevant community infection is unlikely. Nevertheless, we may provide a convenient and inexpensive protocol for vCJD prevalence screening on a national scale. Supported by the Italian Ministry of Health (grant Regione Marche 14, Ricerca Finalizzata 2003).
AD G. Moroncini, V. Bramucci, A. Gabrielli: Sezione di Clinica Medica, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy; M. Mangieri, G. Giaccone, F. Tagliavini: Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy; V. Quero, D. Stramazotti, M. Scarpelli: Istituto di Anatomia Patologica ed Istopatologia, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy. E-mail: g.moroncini@univpm.it
SP englisch
PO Italien