NR ACKS
AU Cawthorne,R.J.G.
TI Failure to confirm a TSE in chickens
QU The Veterinary Record 1997 Aug 23; 141(8): 203
KI Vet Rec. 1997 Sep 6;141(10):255-6. PMID: 9308154
PT letter
VT
Failure to confirm a TSE in chickens
SIR - In January and February this year there was speculation in the media about the possibility that BSE might have transmitted to chickens. This arose following investigations of neurological disease in two hens undertaken by Dr Harash Narang.
Dr Narang initially informed MAFF that there was 'no evidence of tumour and no obvious vacuolation' in the brain of either chicken but that there was 'some neuronal loss and shrunken neurons in all parts of the brain'. Subsequently he reported that, following the completion of immunostaining, 'PrP and positive plaques' had been found and that 'this must be regarded as very strong evidence demonstrating that the hens had been incubating spongiform encephalopathy'.
As requested Dr Narang then supplied brain tissue from two birds to MAFF for examination at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), at Weybridge and Lasswade. He also sent a number of photomicrographs.
Investigations at the VLA included examination of haemotoxylin and eosin stained sections for evidence of neuropathological changes together with immunohistochemistry for PrP using a CVL standard immunostaining protocol and a method which sought to reproduce the protocol used by Dr Narang.
The investigations revealed no evidence of spongiform change, disease-specific immunostaining or of plaque formation. Staining identified in the photomicrographs was also considered to be non-specific. There was, however, evidence in one brain of a non-suppurative meningoencephalitis. In view of the high profile of this investigation we delayed communication of our results until the material had been further examined by an independent neuropathologist. That report has now been received and the interpretation is in agreement with that of the specialists at the VLA.
We do not, therefore, consider that either of the birds in question was affected with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. The results of our investigations are consistent with the as yet unpublished results of experimental challenges where attempts to transmit BSE to poultry by parenteral or oral inoculation have not been successful.
IN Nachdem Harash Narang in den Gehirnen seiner angeblichen BSE-Hühner histopathologisch und immunologisch typische BSE-Zeichen gesehen haben wollte und dies dem MAFF meldete, forderte man Proben von ihm an und erhielt sie auch. Allerdings konnte weder ein MAFF-Experte, noch ein nicht genannter unabhängiger Wissenschaftler diese Diagnose bestätigen. Sie diagnostizierten lediglich eine eitrige Meningitis.
MH Animal; *Chickens; Female; Poultry Diseases/*transmission; Prion Diseases/transmission/*veterinary
SP englisch
PO England