title: Strain characterization of the Korean CWD cases in 2001 and 2004.
abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been recognized as a naturally occurring prion disease in North American deer (Odocoileus species), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and moose (Alces alces). The disease was confirmed only in elk in the Republic of Korea in 2001, 2004 and 2005. Epidemiological investigations showed that CWD was introduced via importation of infected elk from Canada between 1994 and 1997. In spite of the increasing geographic distribution and host range of CWD, little is known about the prion strain (s) responsible for distinct outbreaks of the disease. We carried out strain characterization, using transgenic mice overexpressing elk prion protein, including clinical assessment, pathological examination and biochemical analyses, in brain tissues derived following primary through tertiary transmissions. The final incubation period was shortened to approximately 130 dpi due to adaptation. Biochemical profiles remained identical between passages. Lesion profiling in recipient mice brains showed similar patterns of vacuolation scores and intensity. It is clear that there were no biochemical or histopathological differences in Korean CWD cases in 2001 and 2004, suggesting a single strain was responsible for the outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Anyang 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Min-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyo-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won-Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-Im
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Dong-Seob
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tark
authors.forename: In-Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Aru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balachandran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003670:Deer; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011328:Prions