Atypical scrapie in a Swiss goat and implications for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy surveillance

Seuberlich, Torsten; Botteron, Catherine; Benestad, Sylvie L; Brünisholz, Hervé; Wyss, Reto; Kihm, Ulrich; Schwermer, Heinzpeter; Friess, Martina; Nicolier, Alexandra; Heim, Dagmar; Zurbriggen, Andreas (2007). Atypical scrapie in a Swiss goat and implications for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy surveillance. Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation, 19(1), pp. 2-8. Columbia, Mo.: American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians AAVLD 10.1177/104063870701900102

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Different types of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) affect sheep and goats. In addition to the classical form of scrapie, both species are susceptible to experimental infections with the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent, and in recent years atypical scrapie cases have been reported in sheep from different European countries. Atypical scrapie in sheep is characterized by distinct histopathologic lesions and molecular characteristics of the abnormal scrapie prion protein (PrP(sc)). Characteristics of atypical scrapie have not yet been described in detail in goats. A goat presenting features of atypical scrapie was identified in Switzerland. Although there was no difference between the molecular characteristics of PrP(sc) in this animal and those of atypical scrapie in sheep, differences in the distribution of histopathologic lesions and PrP(sc) deposition were observed. In particular the cerebellar cortex, a major site of PrP(sc) deposition in atypical scrapie in sheep, was found to be virtually unaffected in this goat. In contrast, severe lesions and PrP(sc) deposition were detected in more rostral brain structures, such as thalamus and midbrain. Two TSE screening tests and PrP(sc) immunohistochemistry were either negative or barely positive when applied to cerebellum and obex tissues, the target samples for TSE surveillance in sheep and goats. These findings suggest that such cases may have been missed in the past and could be overlooked in the future if sampling and testing procedures are not adapted. The epidemiological and veterinary public health implications of these atypical cases, however, are not yet known.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Experimental Clinical Research
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV) > DVK - Clinical Research [discontinued]

UniBE Contributor:

Seuberlich, Torsten, Botteron, Catherine, Kihm, Ulrich, Nicolier, Alexandra, Zurbriggen, Andreas (A)

ISSN:

1040-6387

Publisher:

American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians AAVLD

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 14:52

Last Modified:

29 Mar 2023 23:32

Publisher DOI:

10.1177/104063870701900102

PubMed ID:

17459826

Web of Science ID:

000245657200002

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/22259 (FactScience: 33626)

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback