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Vet Pathol 45:7-11 (2008)
© 2008 American College of Veterinary Pathologists
INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Experimental Transmission of US Scrapie Agent by Nasal, Peritoneal, and Conjunctival Routes to Genetically Susceptible Sheep

A. N. Hamir, R. A. Kunkle, J. A. Richt, J. M. Miller and J. J. Greenlee

National Animal Disease Center, ARS, USDA, Ames, IA

Abstract

Scrapie is a naturally occurring fatal neurodegenerative disease of sheep and goats. This study documents incubation periods, pathologic findings, and distribution of abnormal prion proteins (PrPSc) by immunohistochemistry in tissues of genetically susceptible sheep inoculated with US sheep scrapie agent. Four-month-old Suffolk lambs (QQ at codon 171) were inoculated by 1 of 3 different routes (nasal, peritoneal, and conjunctival) with an inoculum (No. 13-7) consisting of a pool of scrapie-affected sheep brains. Except for 3 sheep, all inoculated animals were euthanized when advanced clinical signs of scrapie were observed between 19 and 46 months postinoculation (MPI). Spongiform lesions in the brains and labeling of PrPSc in central nervous system and lymphoid tissues were present in these sheep. One intranasally inoculated sheep euthanized at 12 MPI had presence of PrPSc that was confined to the pharyngeal tonsil. These results indicate that the upper respiratory tract, specifically the pharyngeal tonsil, may serve as a portal of entry for prion protein in scrapie-infected environments.

Key words: Prion disease; routes of inoculation; sheep scrapie; spongiform encephalopathy.

Request reprints from Dr. Amir N. Hamir, National Disease Center, ARS, USDA, 2300 Dayton Avenue, PO Box 70, Ames, IA 50010 (USA). E-mail: amir.hamir{at}ars.usda.gov




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A. N. Hamir, J. A. Richt, J. M. Miller, R. A. Kunkle, S. M. Hall, E. M. Nicholson, K. I. O'Rourke, J. J. Greenlee, and E. S. Williams
Experimental Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) of Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) to White-tailed Deer by Intracerebral Route
Vet. Pathol., May 1, 2008; 45(3): 297 - 306.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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