Virology of Small Ruminants Flashcards
1
Q
What are the Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) of small ruminants?
A
- Scrapie - sheep/goats
- Chronic wasting disease (CWD) - cervids
2
Q
What is the Etiology of TSE?
A
- Transmissible Prion - infectious protein particle
- lacks nucleic acid
- Normal Host Protein:
- PrPC = normal protein
- Membrane bound glycoprotein
- PRNP gene
- Alpha helices
- Expression (though not limited to) Neural and lymphoreticular tissue
- PrPC = normal protein
-
Altered Protein
- PrPres = Protease resistant prion protein
- PrPsc = Scrapie prion protein
- PrPCWD = Chronic Wasting Disease prion protien
- Misfolded ⇢ B sheets
- Highly resistant to UV light, radiation, alcohol, disinfectants (including formalin), and heat
- Wet heat more effective than dry heat
- Environmental stability
- PrPres = Protease resistant prion protein
3
Q
What are the 9 human prion diseases?
A
- Kuru (transmissible)
- 4 forms of CJD (2 transmissible)
- Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome
- 2 forms of fatal insomnia
- familial
- spontaneous
- VPSPR (variably protease-sensitive prionopathy
4
Q
What are the forms of sheep scrapie?
A
-
Nonclassical or atypical scrapie
- occurs sporadically in sheep and goats
- Believed to be nontransmissible (or poorly transmissible) under natural conditions
-
Classical scrapie
- Transmissible form
5
Q
Is Scrapie zoonotic?
A
not zoonotic
6
Q
Is Chronic Wasting disease zoonotic?
A
no solid evidence of transmission to humans
7
Q
Is Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy prion zoonotic?
A
- Causative agent of:
- Variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans - Zoonotic
- Feline spongiform encephalopathy in cats
- Possible origin of transmissible mink encephalopathy
- Not the same as scrapie or CWD prions
8
Q
What are the major factors in the pathogenesis of TSE?
A
- Host PRNP gene and the amino acid sequence of the PrPC protein
9
Q
What causes the clinical signs of TSE?
A
- Loss of normal PrPc
- Accumulation of PrPSc in neurons
- Cytotoxic effects and vacuolation in the brain (spongiform)
10
Q
What is the function of PrPC?
A
- Not fully characterized
- Normally transported to cell membrane
- Lysosomal hydrolase degradation (PrPres resistant to this degradation)
11
Q
What is the pathogenesis of TSE?
A
- Transmission
- Ingested
- Transplacental
- Invasion into lymphnode (GALT/RAJ, Retropharyngeal)
3.
12
Q
How is TSE transmitted?
A
- Shed in milk, saliva, feces, and urine
- Environmental contamination -
- Prion ingestion
- Horizontal transmission
- Placenta, colostrum/milk ingestion, environmental contamination
- Horizontal transmission
- Prenatal transmission
- Transplacental - vertical transmission
- Semen ?
- Embryo transfer (maybe)
13
Q
What are the clinical signs of scrapie?
A
- Ataxia - swaying when turning
- High stepping, tremors
- Abnormal head carriage
- Behavioral changes
- Pruritus (leads to scraping to itch ⇢ “Scrapie”)
- Chewing or nibbling reaction when back scratched
- Weight loss, emaciation (not all cases)
- Always Fatal
14
Q
How is Scrapie diagnosed?
A
- Histopathology of Brain (H&E staining) - not definitive
-
Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining - official test
-
Antemortem
- lymphoid tissue ⇢ Recto-anal junction (RAJ), third eyelid
- Trained person should collect samples (accredited/trained DVMS, APHIS/State personnel)
-
Post mortem
- Retropharyngeal lyphnodes, tonsil
- Braine ⇢ obex
- Collected by: Producers, accredited DVMs, USDA-APHIS reps, State animal health employees
-
Antemortem
- ELISA - confirmatory test (for presence of prion, not antibodies)
- Western Blot - confirmatory test (for presence of prion, not antibodies)
- Electron microscopy - detect scrapie associated fibrils (rarely used)
15
Q
What is the treatment for scrapie?
A
non - Always FATAL