title: Characteristics of scrapie isolates derived from hay mites.
abstract: Previous epidemiological evidence suggested that in some instances a vector and/or reservoir is involved in the occurrence and spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). In a preliminary study, hay mite preparations from five Icelandic farms with a history of scrapie were injected into mice, and some of these mice became sick after long incubation periods. To confirm that the disease was scrapie, subsequent passages in mice were performed. In addition, the characteristics of the disease process in these passages were assessed and the results compared to those findings with standard scrapie strains. As expected for scrapie, subsequent passages in the same host led to shortened incubation periods compared to those in primary isolate mice, and all mice had spongiform changes in brain. Results were similar for three of four isolates with regard to clinical manifestations, the incubation periods in mice of the three scrapie incubation-period genotypes (s7s7, s7p7, p7p7), and the PrPSc Western blot (WB) pattern. The characteristics of the fourth isolate were markedly different from the other three isolates with regard to these parameters. Comparison of the characteristics of standard mouse-adapted scrapie strains and the four isolates revealed differences; these differences were particularly pronounced for the fourth isolate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, New York, NY 10314-6399, USA.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Carp
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Meeker
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rubenstein
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigurdarson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papini
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kascsak
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000737:chemistry*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D016266:Food Parasitology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D007055:Iceland; D007267:Injections; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008925:Mites / Q000737:chemistry*; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission*; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D014020:Tissue Extracts