Chronic Wasting Disease: Investigations on Prion Shedding and Risk of Transmission to Caribou

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prion disease affecting cervids mainly in North America. The responsible agent for this disease is the protease-resistant and infectious prion protein isoform (PrPSc) which is converted from a normal host-encoded glycoprotein (PrPC). In this study, I...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Cheng, Yo Ching
Other Authors: Gilch, Sabine, Jirik, Frank Robert, Kutz, Susan J.
Format: Master Thesis
Language:English
Published: Graduate Studies 2016
Subjects:
Animal Pathology
Genetics
Biology > Molecular
Veterinary Science
Chronic Wasting Disease
Prions
Prion diseases
diagnosis
Caribou
Elk
Surveillance
RT-QuIC
caribou
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2896
https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25326
Description
Summary:Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prion disease affecting cervids mainly in North America. The responsible agent for this disease is the protease-resistant and infectious prion protein isoform (PrPSc) which is converted from a normal host-encoded glycoprotein (PrPC). In this study, I employed a novel in vitro amplification assay; the real-time quaking-induced conversion assay (RT-QuIC) to detect CWD prions in feces. I demonstrated the use of optimized RT-QuIC to define the shedding pattern of CWD prions in feces during the course of CWD. Additionally, I analyzed the distribution of PrP polymorphism among caribou populations in Alberta. The results permit predictions on the probability of CWD transmission to caribou populations. My studies provide a new tool to improve CWD surveillance and transmission risk assessment, and may be useful for CWD management in the future.

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