Successful transmission of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent to white-tailed deer by intravenous blood transfusion. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mammadova, Najiba; Cassmann, Eric; Greenlee, Justin J.
• Is Part Of: Research in veterinary science. Volume 133(2020)
• Page Start: 304
• Page End: 306
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Blood transfusion -- Cervid -- CWD -- Prion disease -- Prions in blood -- White-tailed deer; Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine vétérinaire -- Périodiques; Médecine vétérinaire -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Diergeneeskunde; 636.089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.10.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-5288

Abstract

Abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSEs) that affects free-ranging and captive cervid species. The infectious agent of CWD may be transmitted from ingestion of prions shed in bodily fluids (e.g. feces, urine, saliva, placenta tissue) of infected animals, contaminated pastures, and/or decomposing carcasses from dead animals. Studies have also demonstrated prion infectivity in whole blood or blood fractions of CWD infected animals. To determine if CWD-infected blood contained sufficient levels of prion infectivity to cause disease, recipient deer were inoculated intravenously (IV) with blood derived from a CWD-infected white-tailed deer. We found that the CWD agent can be successfully transmitted to white-tailed deer by a single intravenous blood transfusion. The incubation period was associated with recipient prion protein genotype at codon 96 with the GG96 recipient incubating for 25.6 months and the GS96 recipient incubating for 43.6 months. This study complements and supports an earlier finding that CWD can be transmitted to deer by intravenous blood transfusion from white-tailed deer with CWD. Highlights: The chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent efficiently transmits between white-tailed deer. Blood from CWD infected deer contains infectious prions. A single intravenous blood transfusion resulted in CWD transmission with an incubation of 25.6 months for the GG96 recipient. The GS96 recipient had a longer incubation of 43.6 months.