Determining the temporal distribution of prions shed in nasal secretions of white-tailed deer inoculated with Nordic CWD
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Jessica Gamble, Erin McNulty, Candace Mathiason
Presenter(s): Jessica Gamble
Mentors(s): Erin McNulty
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), the prion disease of cervids (deer, elk, moose), was first documented in North America (NA) in the 1970’s. The disease was recently identified in Scandinavian cervids (reindeer, red deer, moose). Many studies have been conducted in the native host to better understand the pathogenesis and transmission dynamics of NA CWD, with fewer studies conducted to fill these gaps in our understanding about Nordic (NO) CWD. Of particular interest is determining how and when prions are shed from NO CWD-infected cervids throughout disease course. Our previous studies of NA CWD have determined that the infectious agent is shed in saliva, urine, feces and blood, all of which contribute to efficient horizontal transmission of the disease from one cervid to the next. We are currently conducting longitudinal studies in the native host to determine when NO CWD prions are shed in these bodily sections. Here, using the established prion amplification assay Iron Oxide Bead Real-Time-Quaking-Induced conversion we will assess longitudinally collected nasal secretions at 3-month intervals after oral inoculation to determine the shedding profile of prions in nasal secretions. Findings from this study will: (i) enhance our understanding of how NO prions are shed, especially in comparison to NA CWD, and (ii) provide insights about the origin of CWD as we consider whether NO CWD represents an earlier evolution of this disease.