title: Detection of chronic wasting disease in the lymph nodes of free-ranging cervids by real-time quaking-induced conversion.
abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of deer, elk, and moose, is the only prion disease affecting free-ranging animals. Since the disease was first identified in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming in 1967, new epidemic foci of the disease have been identified in 20 additional states, as well as two Canadian provinces and the Republic of South Korea. Identification of CWD-affected animals currently requires postmortem analysis of brain or lymphoid tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC) or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with no practical way to evaluate potential strain types or to investigate the epidemiology of existing or novel foci of disease. Using a standardized real-time (RT)-quaking-induced conversion (QuIC) assay, a seeded amplification assay employing recombinant prion protein as a conversion substrate and thioflavin T (ThT) as an amyloid-binding fluorophore, we analyzed, in a blinded manner, 1,243 retropharyngeal lymph node samples from white-tailed deer, mule deer, and moose, collected in the field from areas with current or historic CWD endemicity. RT-QuIC results were then compared with those obtained by conventional IHC and ELISA, and amplification metrics using ThT and thioflavin S were examined in relation to the clinical history of the sampled deer. The results indicate that RT-QuIC is useful for both identifying CWD-infected animals and facilitating epidemiological studies in areas in which CWD is endemic or not endemic.
authors: Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA nicholas.j.haley@gmail.com.
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Haley
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Carver
authors: Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Laura L
authors: LL
authors: Hoon-Hanks
authors: Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Davin M
authors: DM
authors: Henderson
authors: Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Kristen A
authors: KA
authors: Davenport
authors: Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Bunting
authors: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas, USA.
authors: Shawn
authors: S
authors: Gray
authors: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
authors: Bruce
authors: B
authors: Trindle
authors: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Galeota
authors: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Ivy
authors: I
authors: LeVan
authors: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Tracy
authors: T
authors: Dubovos
authors: Division of Wildlife Resources, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Shelton
authors: Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors: Edward A
authors: EA
authors: Hoover
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012418:Ruminants; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid