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Asymptomatic deer excrete infectious prions in faeces

Author

Listed:
  • Gültekin Tamgüney

    (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,
    University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA)

  • Michael W. Miller

    (Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526 USA)

  • Lisa L. Wolfe

    (Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526 USA)

  • Tracey M. Sirochman

    (Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526 USA)

  • David V. Glidden

    (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,)

  • Christina Palmer

    (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,)

  • Azucena Lemus

    (University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA)

  • Stephen J. DeArmond

    (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,
    University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA)

  • Stanley B. Prusiner

    (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,
    University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA)

Abstract

Prion disease transmission Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a highly contagious prion disease that causes neurodegeneration in several species in the deer family, including the elk and moose. The precise mechanisms of natural CWD transmission are unresolved. It is known that once an animal shows signs of the disease, its excretions can contain contagious prions. Stanley Prusiner and colleagues show that mule deer infected with CWD begin to excrete infectious prions in faeces long before they develop visible signs of the disease. This suggests a plausible, natural mechanism that could explain the high incidence and efficient horizontal transmission of CWD among deer — and may also be relevant for the similarly contagious scrapie in sheep.

Suggested Citation

  • Gültekin Tamgüney & Michael W. Miller & Lisa L. Wolfe & Tracey M. Sirochman & David V. Glidden & Christina Palmer & Azucena Lemus & Stephen J. DeArmond & Stanley B. Prusiner, 2009. "Asymptomatic deer excrete infectious prions in faeces," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7263), pages 529-532, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:461:y:2009:i:7263:d:10.1038_nature08289
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08289
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    Cited by:

    1. Potapov, Alex & Merrill, Evelyn & Pybus, Margo & Coltman, David & Lewis, Mark A., 2013. "Chronic wasting disease: Possible transmission mechanisms in deer," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 244-257.
    2. Habib, Thomas J. & Merrill, Evelyn H. & Pybus, M.J. & Coltman, David W., 2011. "Modelling landscape effects on density–contact rate relationships of deer in eastern Alberta: Implications for chronic wasting disease," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(15), pages 2722-2732.

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