title: Paraffin-embedded tissue blot as a sensitive method for discrimination between classical scrapie and experimental bovine spongiform encephalopathy in sheep.
abstract: The paraffin-embedded tissue (PET) blot was modified for use as a tool to differentiate between classical scrapie and experimental bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in sheep. Medulla (obex) from 21 cases of classical scrapie and 6 cases of experimental ovine BSE were used to develop the method such that it can be used as a tool to differentiate between BSE and scrapie in the same way that differential immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been used previously. The differential PET blot successfully differentiated between all of the scrapie and ovine BSE cases. Differentiation was permitted more easily with PET blot than by differential IHC, with accurate observations possible at the macroscopic level. At the microscopic level, sensitivity was such that discrimination by the differential PET blot could be made with more confidence than with differential IHC in cases where the immunohistochemical differences were subtle. The differential PET blot makes use of harsh epitope demasking conditions, and, because of the differences in the way prion protein is processed in different prion diseases, it can serve as a new, highly sensitive method to discriminate between classical scrapie and experimental BSE in sheep.
authors: Department of Pathology and Host Susceptability, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK. p.webb@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk
authors: Paul R
authors: PR
authors: Webb
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Denyer
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Gough
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Spiropoulos
authors: Marion M
authors: MM
authors: Simmons
authors: Yvonne I
authors: YI
authors: Spencer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000662:veterinary; D016612:Paraffin Embedding / Q000662:veterinary*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology