Excretion of BSE and scrapie prions in stools from murine models.
Faeces from infected animals have been suggested as a potential source of contamination and transmission of prion diseases in the environment. This work describes the development of a procedure for the detection of PrP(res) in stools which is based on a detergent-based extraction and immunoprecipitation (IP). The procedure was evaluated by analyzing TSE-spiked sheep and mice faeces, and proved to be specific for PrP(res) with sensitivities of 5-10 microg of infected brain tissue. In order to analyze the shedding of prions, we studied stools from orally inoculated mice over 4-days post-inoculation and also stools from terminally sick scrapie-infected mice. PrP(res) was only detected in stools shortly after the oral ingestion of TSE agents. The procedure described could be a useful tool for studying the excretion of prions and for evaluating potential environmental contamination by prions.
Maluquer de Motes
Carlos
C
Departament de Microbiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Grassi
Jacques
J
Simon
Stephanie
S
Herva
Maria Eugenia
ME
Torres
Juan Maria
JM
Pumarola
Marti
M
Girones
Rosina
R
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011328:Prions / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions