title: Infectious prions in the saliva and blood of deer with chronic wasting disease.
abstract: A critical concern in the transmission of prion diseases, including chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids, is the potential presence of prions in body fluids. To address this issue directly, we exposed cohorts of CWD-naïve deer to saliva, blood, or urine and feces from CWD-positive deer. We found infectious prions capable of transmitting CWD in saliva (by the oral route) and in blood (by transfusion). The results help to explain the facile transmission of CWD among cervids and prompt caution concerning contact with body fluids in prion infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences (CVMBS), Colorado State University (CSU), Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Candace K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Mathiason
authors.forename: Jenny G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Sallie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dahmes
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.forename: Karl V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayes-Klug
authors.forename: Davis M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Seelig
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Terry R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Spraker
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Christina J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sigurdson
authors.forename: Glenn C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Telling
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hoover
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003670:Deer / Q000097:blood; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D011328:Prions / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D011328:Prions